gonna

English

Alternative forms

• gon
• gon'
• gunna
• gonner, gunner

Etymology

Written form of a reduction of going to. The pronunciation of present participles with the sound n rather than ng has a long history (see g-dropping on Wikipedia).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡʌn.ə/, /ˈɡɔn.ə/; (unstressed) IPA^(key): /ɡən.ə/
• IPA^(key): [ɡõ]
• IPA^(key): /ɡən.ə/
• IPA^(key): /ˈɡən.ə/
• Homophones: gunner (non-rhotic accents)

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Contraction

gonna

1. (colloquial, with bare infinitive) Contraction of going to when followed by an infinitive verb: used to express a future action.

   • Never gonna give you up, / Never gonna let you down, / Never gonna run around and desert you. / Never gonna make you cry, / Never gonna say goodbye, / Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you.

Usage notes

• This spelling, like any nonstandard spelling, risks appearing condescending. Even when going to has the pronunciation that gonna denotes, it is usually spelled <going to>.
• Gonna, like the pronunciation it denotes, only occurs when indicating a future tense (something that is bound to happen or is planned); hence “I’m gonna go now”, but not *“I’m gonna the mall.” (You have to say instead “I’m going to the mall.”)

See also

• to (particle)
• coulda
• gotta
• shoulda
• wanna
• woulda
• I'm 'onna
• I'mma

Anagrams

• angon

---

Italian

Etymology

From Late Latin gunna (“leather garment”). Compare English gown.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡɔn.na/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

gonna f (plural gonne)

1. skirt

Derived terms

• gonnellino
• minigonna