Lesson 3: Understanding Common Spoken Reductions
How Native Speakers Really Talk
Have you ever listened to a native speaker and felt they were talking too fast? The secret isn't just speed; it's reduction1. In natural speech, unimportant, unstressed2 words get "squashed" or reduced to connect the important, stressed3 words. Understanding these reductions is one of the biggest keys to improving your listening comprehension.
IMPORTANT: Reductions are for SPEAKING and LISTENING. Do not use these forms in formal writing. Some are okay for very informal texting with friends.
Common Reductions in Spoken English
Let's look at some common words and phrases and see how they are reduced in everyday conversation.
| Full Form | Spoken Reduction | Example of Use |
|---|---|---|
| going to | gonna | I'm gonna be late. |
| want to | wanna | Do you wanna watch a movie? |
| have to | hafta | I hafta finish my homework. |
| got to | gotta | I gotta go now, see you! |
| what do you | whaddaya | Whaddaya think about this? |
| what are you | whatcha | Whatcha doing this weekend? |
| I don't know | I dunno | "Where are my keys?" / "I dunno." |
| kind of / sort of | kinda / sorta | It's kinda cold today. |
| because | cuz / 'cause | I was tired cuz I worked late. |
In Conversation: Hearing the Reductions
Listen to this natural, fast-paced phone call between two friends, Chenda and Rithy, making plans to meet in Kampot.
Chenda: Hey, whatcha doin'?
Rithy: Nothin' much. Just watching some TV. Whaddaya wanna do tonight?
Chenda: I dunno, maybe go to the night market? I gotta buy a new phone charger.
Rithy: I'm kinda tired. Are you gonna be out late?
Chenda: Nah. I hafta wake up early tomorrow. We can just go for an hour.
Rithy: Okay, sounds good. I'll come and get you. I'm leaving now 'cause I need to get gas first.
quiz Check Your Understanding
1. "Whatcha gonna do?" is the reduced form of...
- a) What did you go and do?
- b) What are you going to do?
- c) What do you do?
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) What are you going to do?
2. A friend says, "I hafta work late tonight." What do they mean?
- a) They have to work late.
- b) They want to work late.
- c) They are happy to work late.
Click to see the answer
Answer: a) They have to work late.
3. "I'm kinda hungry." means...
- a) I am very hungry.
- b) I am a little bit hungry.
- c) I am not hungry.
Click to see the answer
Answer: b) I am a little bit hungry. ('Kind of' softens the meaning).
edit Your Mission
- Listen and Transcribe: How would a native speaker likely say this sentence in a fast, casual way? "I have got to get a lot of things because my friends are coming over." Write down the reduced version in your notebook.
- Active Listening: Find a YouTube video of an interview with your favorite English-speaking actor or musician. Close your eyes and just listen for 30 seconds. Can you hear any reductions like "gonna," "wanna," or "gotta"?
- Practice Speaking: Say this sentence aloud five times, getting faster each time: "What do you want to do?" Notice how it naturally becomes "Whaddaya wanna do?". This is how reductions happen!
book Lesson Glossary
- Reduction (noun) - Khmer: ការកាត់បន្ថយសំឡេង - The process of shortening or weakening a sound when speaking naturally. ↩
- Stressed (adjective) - Khmer: សង្កត់សំឡេង - A word or syllable that is pronounced with greater force or emphasis. ↩
- Unstressed (adjective) - Khmer: មិនសង្កត់សំឡេង - A word or syllable that is pronounced without force or emphasis, and is often reduced. ↩