Relaxed Pronunciation Reference

In everyday speech, language takes on simplifications and the tendency for words to run together. This natural process often manifests itself as combination and contraction
of words, causing a phrase such as "Would you like to go and get something to eat?" to sound a lot more like "'Don't'cha wanna get somthin' tweet?". This tendency is often
a major frustration for English language learners, as many of these apparent words (for example, wanna, gotta, or squeat) are often not listed in dictionaries and are
almost never used in formal written form, but are nonetheless essential for native comprehension. In addition, differences in dialects' pronunciation, not to mention
vocabulary, often magnify this problem significantly. This page is designed to be a reference database of relaxed pronunciations and contractions, from the mundane and
common to the esoteric (or just for fun). Please enjoy!
Notes:

To indicate alternative meanings or pronunciations, a slash is used, for example: "wanna = want to / want a" means that "wanna" could mean either "want to"
or "want a".

[Brackets] surround words in the definitions that do not contribute to the final word's sound.

Ellipsis (...) are used to indicate that a contraction can work as an interchangeable suffix or prefix with a variety of other words (some of the more common
combinations may be listed as well).
The complete list:
A-Z
A

Phonetic Spelling

Definition / Origin / Meaning

Example

a / uh

of / a

I'll have uh bag uh chips.

acoupla

a couple of

I have acoupla socks 'round here somewhere.

ain't

am not / is not / are not / have not / has not

I ain't hungry.

ain'tcha

are you not

Ain'tcha done yet?

algo

I will go

Algo next.

alotta

a lot of

I have alotta radishes, and nothin' to make with 'em.

an'

and

Get me some bread an' milk.

...'an

... than

n/a

'ardly

hardly

I can 'ardly understand what he's saying'.

ayatta

I ought to

Ayatta show him a thing or two.

atom

at him / at them

Up and atom!

awayzaway

a ways away

The last day of school is quite awayzaway, sadly.

betcha

bet you

I betcha five bucks that paper airplane isn't gonna fly.

better'an
bleev

better than
believe

Chocolate is better'an vanilla.

I bleev he'll be arrivin' soon.

'bout

about

'Tis 'bout 3 o'clock.

brudda

brother

He's m' brudda.

can't

can not

I can't let you do that, Dave.

can'tcha
canna

can you not

can not

Can'tcha get me a glass of coffee?

I canna take that class, I'm takin' underwater basket weaving at the same time!

cara

care of

I take cara yo' car, you take cara my cat.

certainly'd

certainly had

He certainly'd done that yesterday.

cha

you

Cha can't do that!

chillun

children

I'ma takin' the chillun to the zoo tomorrow.

'chother

each other

Y'all should help 'chother out.

chu

[are] you

Wha' chu doin'?

c'mere

come here

C'mere!

c'mon

come on

C'mon over here!

coulda

could have

I coulda done that backflip.

couldna / couldn't've could not have

You couldna possibly done it.

couldn'ever

could not ever

You couldn'ever make it.

couldn'it

could it not?

Couldn'it be done?

couldn't

could not

I couldn't see it with all this fog.

could've

could have

I could've won that race if I hadn'a hit that penny on the road.

could'ja

could you

Could'ja 'splain it for me?

crect

correct

I've gotta go crect some papers.

'cuz

because

'Cuz it'd be cool, duh.

d'

the

I'm in d' house.

...'d

... would / ... had

They'd better pick up the pace if they want to win the game!

...'da

... would have

She'da come tonight if she wasn't so busy.

da

the

They have da best of da best in hot dogs here.

dat

that

Dat is fine.

d'eck

...the heck

What d'eck?

dem

them

Dem dragonflies are huge!

dent

did not

I dent crash the car.

did'ja / didja

did you

Did'ja catch anythin'?

didn't

did not

It didn't hurt.

diff'rn't

different

That's diff'rn't than the other one.

dis

this

Is dis all ya got?

d'jeat

did you eat

D'jeat yet?

d'jyava / jyhava

did you have a

D'jyava burger or a sandwich?

'drother

I'd rather

'Drother be watchin' a movie.

'drothers / druthers

[What] I'd rather

If I had my 'drothers, I wouldn't be doin' chores.

dodad

do, dad

What will you dodad?

doin'

doing

How are ya doin'?

don't'cha / don'tcha

do you not

Pretty cool, don't'cha think?

dunnit

[has] done it / done it

That shoulda dunnit.

dunno

do not know

I dunno.

...'d've

... would have

n/a

d'yava

do you have a

D'yava good time?

'er

her

Let 'er drift.

'em

them

Get 'em!

fi

if I

Fi was gonna choose, I'd go for the apple pie.

figrout

figure out

I'll figrout this puzzle soon.

fulla

full of

You're fulla beans!

fo'
for'em

for
for them

Is dis fo' me?

I was just lookin' for'em.

f'yno

if you know / if I know

F'yno how to do that problem, then just do it.

g'bye / g'by

good bye

G'bye!

g'day

good day

G'day!

gimme

give me

Gimme five!

getcha / gitchu

get you

I'm gunna gitchu fo' dat!

g'night

good night

G'night everybody!

gotcha / gotchu /
gotcher

got you / got your

I gotcha!

gotta

[have] got to

I Gotta go now!

gunna / gonna

going to

I'm gonna head over to the store, ya want anything?

had'n'edn'edn'yet

had not even eaten yet

You had'n'edn'edn'yet?

hafta

have to

I hafta go soon.

has'n'edn'edn'yet

has not even eaten yet

He has'n'edn'edn'yet?

hava

have a

We hava few snacks inna trunk.

havit

have it

D'ya havit here yet?

hav'n'edn'edn'yet

have not even eaten yet

You hav'n'edn'edn'yet?

hecka

heck of a

That's one hecka good painting!

heckalota

heck of a lot of

That's a heckalota pizza!

he'd

he would

He'd like that.

he'd'a / he'd've

he would have

He'd've gone if they didn't sell outta tickets.

here's

here is

Here's something that might work.

he's

he is

He's fine.

he'sn't

he is not

He'sn't in this class?

hold'em

hold them

Hold'em for a bit while I unload the rest.

how'ya / howaya

how are you

Howaya doin'?

how're
howzat

how are
how is that

How're they all gonna fit in that truck?

Howzat gonna work?

I'd

I would

I'd order a parfait if it wasn't so expensive.

I'd've

I would have

I'd've gone if it was closer.

I'laftabe

I will have to be

I'laftabe quicker'an you!

I'll

I will

I'll do better'an you!

'im

him

Ain't gunna do any good for 'im.

I'm

I am

I'm fine.

Ima / Imana

I am [going to]

Ima see the dentist tomorrow.

...in'

...ing

n/a

inna

in a / in the

Look inna shop for it.

initiate

and then she ate

First, she ate the corn, initiate the peas.

isn't

is not

That isn't funny.

it'll

it will

It'll be a sunny day.

izzy

is he

Izzy good?

jamaican

what'cha makin'

Jamaican?

jask

did you ask

Why jask?

jin
jlike

[are] you in
[did] you like

Jin the bathroom?

Jlike the movie?

ju

do you / did you

Wha' ju want?

'k

o.k.

'k

kinda

kind of

I'm feelin' kinda hungry.

lemme

let me

Lemme use that!

letcha

let you

Why should I letcha borrow my car?

let'er

let her

Let'er drift.

...'ll

... will

n/a

lotta

lot of

I have a lotta fish.

m'

my

Yeah, this is m' car.

ma

mom

I'm home ma!

m'boy

my boy

C'mere, m'boy.

mighta

might have

I mighta been able to make that jump.

mustn't

must not

You mustn't do that.

'n'

and

We need eggs 'n' milk.

'net

internet

This is some cheap 'net access.

'neverything

and everything

We'll do, y'know, stuff 'neverything.

'night

good night

'Night.

'nother

Another

There's 'nother rock.

...n't

... not

n/a

'nuff

enough

That's 'nuff.

o'

of

That's a big bag o' chips.

o'er

over

O'er the hills.

offa

off of

Get offa me!

o'icy

Oh, I see

O'icy, that's how it works.

omina

I'm going to

Omina tell you somethin'.

or'd

or did

He went right, or'd he go left?

oughta

ought to

I oughta leave.

outta / outa

out of

Get 'im outta here!

pa

pop (dad)

I'm home pa.

'post
praps

supposed
perhaps

What am I 'post to do?

Praps that might work.

prolly

probably

It'll prolly happen.

quicker'an

quicker than

You'laftabe quicker'an that!

...'re

... are

n/a

robbin'

robbing

Are ya robbin' me?

...'s

... is

n/a

'safternoon

this afternoon

Let's go sometime 'safternoon.

'salmost

is almost

That 'salmost enough.

'scuse

excuse

'Scuse me.

she'd

she would

She'd like that.

she'd've

she would have

She'd've done better if she had the chance.

she's

she is

She's really good at cello.

she'sn't

she is not

She'sn't very good, is she?

shoulda

should have

I shoulda bought it.

shouldna /
shouldn't've

should not have

I shouldna bought it.

shouldn'ever

should not ever

You shouldn'ever play with matches.

shouldn'it

should it not

Shouldn'it be fun?

shouldn't

should not

I shouldn't eat too much.

should've

should have

I should've seen that movie.

should'ja

should you

Should'ja go now?

'sko

let us go

'Sko to the store!

smail

some mail

Just sending off smail here.

s'mlunch

some lunch

Let's have s'mlunch.

'smornin'

this morning

Let's go sometime 'smornin'.

snot

it is not

Snot too bad.

'snothin'

it is nothing

'Snothin'.

snow

is no / [There] is no

Snow way!

s'nuff

is enough

That s'nuff.

soda

sort of

It's soda good.

soyacan

so you can

Soyacan watch anythin' ya want.

somthin' / sumthin'

something

Let's get somthin' tweet.

sorta

sort of

It's sorta good.

'splain
'spossible

explain
it is possible

Could'ja 'splain it for me?

'Spossible that I could make it.

squeat

let us go eat

Squeat right now!

stuff's

stuff has / stuff is

This stuff's been real useful.

summa

some of

Can I have summa that?

'sup

what is up?

'Sup!

swear

so, where...

Swear we goin'?

switch

so, which...

Switch place do ya wanna eat at?

t' / ta
taka
'tar
tater, taters

to
take a
what are
potato, potatoes

I'm goin' t' the mall.

I wanna taka shower.
'Tar you doin'?
I'll have some baked taters.

t'day

today

I'm goin' there t'day.

telpu

to help you

That won't do much telpu.

temp

temperature

What's the temp like?

'tever

whatever

'Tever.

there'd

there would

If there'd be something we want there, we might go.

there's

there is

There's nothing there.

they're

they are

They're here!

this'll

this will

This'll do it.

'tis

it is

'Tis good.

'tisn't

it is not

'Tisn't good.

told'ja / toleja / toldja told you

I toldja hot sauce and oatmeal wouldn't work together.

to've

to have

I'd like to've been there.

tryna
tseasy
tsnot

[are] trying to
it is easy
it is not

You tryna rip me off?

Tseasy to find food here.
Tsnot very fun.

'twas

it was

'Twas the night before Christmas.

'twasn't

it was not

'Twasn't the right thing to do.

tweet

to eat

Let's get somthin' tweet.

t'yer

to your

The bathroom is t'yer left.

uh / a

of / a

I'll have uh bag uh chips.

wait'll

wait, will

Wait'll that do it?

w'all

we all

W'all better go and help 'im.

wanna / wannu

want to

I wanna work out at the gym today.

wassamatta /
whazzamatta

what is the matter?

Wassamatta wit'chu?

wasson

what is on?

Wasson the TV?

wassup

what is up?

Whassup, man?

wat'chout

Watch out!

Wat'chout for that piano!

weren't

were not / was not

And that weren't the biggest of 'em.

whaddya / wuddaya

what do you

Whaddya think?

whatchamacallit /
wuddayacallit

what you may call it / what do you call it

Use the whatchamacallit.

whataya

what are you

Whataya doin'?

whatchu / whatcha

what do you / what are you

Whatchu think?

what'd

what did

What'd that do?

what'll

what will

What'll that do?

what're

what are

What're those?

what's

what is

What's that?

what'sa

what is the / what is a

What'sa problem here?

whatta

what do

Whatta ya think?

whenaya

when are you

Whenaya gettin' home?

whenja

when [did] you

Whenja get home?

where'd

where did

Where'd ya go?

where're

where are

Where're they?

whodathunkit

who would have thought it

Whodathunkit that the butler did it?

whodunit / whodunnit who has done it / who did it

Whodunit?

whosure

who is your

Whosure daddy?

widjadidja /
wijyadidja

with you, did you

You didn't bring your truck wijyadidja?

willya

will you

Willya let me borrow yo' car?

winta

went to

I winta get some food.

wit'chu / witchu

with you

I'm wit'chu.

wanna / wonna

want to

I wanna get some ice cream after the movie.

won't

will not

I won't eat that burger.

woulda

would have

I woulda done it.

wouldna / wouldn't've would not have

I wouldna noticed that!

wouldn'ever

would not ever

I wouldn'ever think about it!

wouldn'it

would it not?

Wouldn'it be a good idea?

wouldn't

would not

I wouldn't mind.

would've

would have

I would've eaten it.

wud'ja / wudja

what did you

Wud'ja do this weekend?

wuzzat / wuzat

what is that?

Wuzzat for?

wuzzis / wuzis

what is this?

Wuzsis for?

wuwuzat

what was that?

Wuwuzat???

wuwuzis

what was this?

Wuwuzis about?

ya

you

Ya doin' good?

y'ald've

you all would have

Y'ald've done better if y'all practiced more.

y'all

you all

Y'all coming?

y'almost

you almost

Y'almost hit that car!

y'also

you also

Y'also think we need some duct tape?

yar

you are

You think y'ar done, but y'arn't.

yarn't

you are not

Y'arn't layin' a hand on that pirate booty.

y'awake

[are] you awake

Y'awake yet?

y'end

you end

Y'end this now.

yer

your

Is dat yer truck?

yino / yieno

yeah, I know

Yieno.

yin

you in

Yin there?

yit

you it

I'll give yit.

y'know

you know

It's like, basically, y'know.

yo'

your

Is dat yo' bike?

y'off

you off

Y'off the phone yet?

y'ont

you want

Y'ont some juice?

yotta

you ought to

Yotta call your friend.

you'laftabe

you will have to be

You'laftabe quicker'an that!

you'll

you will

You'll want all of these geese?

young'ns
you'ns

young ones
you [all]

Get those young'ns over there.

You'ns better get over here!

you're

you are

You're in the house.

yoosta / yousta / usta used to

I yoosta be good at golf.

yout

you out

That'ill help yout.

y'see

you see

Y'see anythin'?

y'go

you go

Y'go over there.

y'understand

you understand

Y'understand?

y'up

you up

Y'up there?

zit

is it

Zit good?