Informal abbreviations of the English

In spoken English, people often use informal abbreviations to make speech more natural and fluid. For example, “gonna” is a shortened form of “going to.” When spoken quickly, without careful pronunciation, “going to” sounds like “gonna.”

These informal contractions are commonly used in casual conversations, text messages, and spoken English, but they should be avoided in formal writing or professional communication.

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Common Informal Abbreviations in English

Here are some of the most frequently used informal abbreviations:

GIMME = give me

Gimme your money!
Don’t gimme that pen.
Can you gimme a hand?

GONNA = going to

What are you gonna do?
I’m gonna play football.
I’m not gonna tell you.

GOTTA = (have) got a

I’ve gotta gun.
She hasn’t gotta penny.
Have you gotta car?

GOTTA = (have) got to

I gotta go now.
We haven’t gotta do that.
Does he gotta work?

INNIT = isn’t it

That’s smart, innit?
Innit strange?

LEMME = let me

Lemme go!
He didn’t lemme see it.

WANNA = want to

I wanna go home.
I don’t wanna go.
Do you wanna watch TV?

Other Common Informal Contractions

OUTTA = out of

Get outta here!
I’m outta money.
We need to get outta this place.

DUNNO = don’t know

I dunno what to do.
He dunno the answer.
She said she dunno anything about it.

CUZ = because

I can’t go cuz I’m busy.
He left early cuz he was tired.
She did it cuz she wanted to.

YA = you

How are ya?
See ya later!
Are ya coming with us?

AIN’T = am not / is not / are not / has not / have not

I ain’t got time for this.
She ain’t coming.
That ain’t fair.

When to Use Informal Abbreviations?

Informal contractions are widely used in spoken English, especially in casual conversations, movies, song lyrics, and social media posts. However, they are generally not appropriate for formal writing, business communication, or academic papers.

By understanding these common abbreviations, English learners can better recognize and use natural, everyday English expressions in conversation!