Lesson 10 | When are you?

For practice, read these sentences slowly to yourself.

Whenaya gunna buy a car?

Whenaya gunna buy one?

Whenaya gunna buy more?

Whenaya gunna buy a ticket?

Whenaya gunna buy it?

Repeat (reading)

Now read these questions quickly.

Whenaya gunna buy a car?

Whenaya gunna buy one?

Whenaya gunna buy more?

Whenaya gunna buy a ticket?

Whenaya gunna buy it?

Read and repeat these sentences slowly for practice.

Whenaya takun a vacation?

Whenaya leavun?

Whenaya goun ta ballet class?

Whenaya goun skatun?

Whenaya gunna iron that shirt?

Repeat (listening)

Now ask these questions quickly.

Whenaya takun a vacation?

Whenaya leavun?

Whenaya goun ta ballet class?

Whenaya goun skatun?

Whenaya gunna iron that shirt?

However, saying “whenaya” isn’t the fastest way that I pronounce it. I often change the words “whenaya” to a single sound “whenya.”

Listen to these examples.

Whenya goun ta the store?

Whenya goun ta the toy store?

Whenya goun ta the hardware store?

Whenya goun ta the grocery store?

Whenya gunna get a smoothie?

Read

Now you try asking these questions using “whenya.”

Whenya goun ta the store?

Whenya goun ta the toy store?

Whenya goun ta the hardware store?

Whenya goun ta the grocery store?

Whenya gunna get a smoothie?

Now, you ask these questions using “whenya.”

Say them quickly.

Whenya wanna eat dinner?

Whenya wanna go shopping?

Whenya wanna go home?

Whenya wanna see the movie?

Whenya wanna come over?

Repeat

Okay, so you understand the change. Listen to these sentences and see if you can understand and repeat them slowly.

Whenaya comun home from work?

Whenaya gunna get up fer work?

Whenya thinkun a comun?

Whenya gunna call her?

Whenya havun dinner?

You’ve learned that when asking questions in conversation, “are you” often becomes the sound “aya.” This change works with other question words as well, for example, how, where, why, and what time. But most often, question words like how, where, why, what time are spoken in the shortest form.

How are you going to get there?

Howya gunna get there?

Where are you going?

Whereya goun?

What time are you going to arrive?

What timeya gonna arrive?

Repeat

Listen to these questions and repeat them

Howya gunna get home?

Whyya gunna leave now?

What timeya hafta leave?

Whatya gunna do after work?

Whereya gunna park your car?

Read and Change

Change these sentences to speak them quickly. Use the short forms of “Howya,” “Whyya,” “What timeya,” “Whereya.”

How are you going to get home?

Why have you got to leave now?

What time do you have to leave?

What are you going to do after work?

Where are you going to park your car?

If you listen, you’ll hear the changes that you’re learning here in popular music.

Here, listen to a small part of this old song by The Beach Boys.

“Do ya, do ya, do ya, do ya wanna dance?”

“Do ya, do ya, do ya, do ya wanna dance?”

“Do ya, do ya, do ya, do ya, do you wanna dance?”

Years later old songs are forgotten. But the changes that you’re learning here are not. The changes are spoken everyday, and will be used for many many years to come.

Okay, listen to this conversation for the changes that you’ve learned.

Hi, what timeya comun over?

Oh, a little later. I gotta walk.

Whyya gunna walk?

My car’s in the shop. No choice.

Whatcha gunna do if it rains?

I’m gunna get wet.