Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

gonna

/ˈɡʌn.ə/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: 5.29 in modern English

Syllables
gonna
IPA
/ˈɡʌn.ə/
6
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

A modal used to express a future action that is being planned or prepared for in the present.

Colloquial

Example Sentences

Etymology

Contraction of going to. Attested since 1913 (OED, "gonna"). The pronunciation of present participles with the sound n rather than ng has a long history (see g-dropping on Wikipedia).

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈɡʌn.ə/
  • British English: /ɡən.ə/

Usage

Inflected Forms

gon (alternative) gon' (alternative) gunna (alternative) gonner (alternative) gunner (alternative) gna (alternative, Internet)

Derived Forms

gonnabe

Phrases

I'm 'onna

Frequently Paired Words

to coulda gotta shoulda wanna woulda I'm 'onna I'mma

Homonyms

gunner (based on the /ˈɡʌn.ə/ pronunciation) goner (based on the /ˈɡɒn.ə/ pronunciation) (non-rhotic)

Rhymes With

wanna marijuana ana donna madonna rihanna nirvana mana guyana botswana haryana tijuana

Questions

How do you pronounce gonna?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɡʌn.ə/.
What does gonna mean?
A modal used to express a future action that is being planned or prepared for in the present.
Where does gonna come from?
Contraction of going to. Attested since 1913 (OED, "gonna"). The pronunciation of present participles with the sound n rather than ng has a long history (see g-dropping on Wikipedia).

How to pronounce gonna

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “gonna”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɡʌn.ə/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “gonna”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “gonna” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.