35 Common Reductions in spoken English
1 got to gotta He's got to go to work. He's gotta go to work.
2 going to* gonna I'm going to see my sister. I'm gonna see my sister.
3 have to hafta You have to pick up the books. You havta pick up the books.
4 has to hasta She has to fly home. She hasta fly home.
5 want to wanna I want to eat now. I wanna eat now.
6 do you want to wanna Do you want to see a movie? Wanna see a movie?
7 want a wanna Do you want a slice of pie? Wanna slice of pie?
8 doing doin What are they doing there? What are they doin there?
9 get you getcha I'll get you a cookie. I'll getcha a cookie.
10 got you gotcha I got you some water. I gotcha some water.
11 bet you betcha I bet you know the answer I betcha know the answer.
12 don't you dontcha Don't you need help? Doncha need help?
13 & 14 what are you whadaya/whatcha What are you doing today? Whadaya doin today? Whatcha doin today?
15 kind of kinda my kind of place my kinda place
16 lot of lotta a lot of guys a lotta guys
17 & 18 could have coulda/couldov You could have stopped. You coulda stopped. You couldov stopped.
19 & 20 should have shoulda/shouldov He should have gone. He shoulda gone. He shouldov gone.
21 & 22 would have woulda/wouldov I would have known I woulda known. I wouldov known.
23 & 24 must have musta/mustov She must have lied. She musta lied. She mustov lied.
25 & 26 might have mighta/mightov You might have helped. You mighta helped. You mightov helped.
27 don't know dunno I don't know the answer. I dunno the answer.
28 let me lemme Let me go! Lemme go!
29 give me gimme Give me my keys. Gimme my keys!
30 and n you and I you n I
31 them em I see them. I see em.
32 him im I know him. I know im.
33 her er I saw her there. I saw er there.
34 you ya Can you do it? Can ya do it?
35 your/you're yer Is that your house? You're done? Is that yer house? Yer done?
* never reduce for "going to" a place like "going to the doctor" or "going to the library"
Paula Gallay MS, CCC-SLP [Link] Almaden Valley Speech Therapy
