Definitions For Gonna

Alternative forms

gon gon' gunna gonner, gunner

Etymology

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

Contraction

{{en-cont}} (colloquial, with bare infinitive) {{contraction of, en, going to, nodot=1}} when followed by an infinitive, infinitive verb: {{non-gloss definition, used to express a future action.}}

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.”)