Lesson 9 | What are you?
Well, you’re doing great. Now listen to this question. I’m going to say it four times. Each time I’m going to say it slightly faster. Listen to the changes I make.
What are you doing?
Whataya doun?
Whatya doun?
Whatcha doun?
First, I spoke slowly and clearly as anyone would in a formal situation.
What are you doing?
Then I spoke a little quicker, using “aya.” Instead of saying “What are you,” I said “Whataya.”
Whataya doun? Whataya doun?
In the next change, I dropped the “are” sound entirely, and said
Whatya
What are you doing?
Whatya doun?
And last, in a very informal way, I changed “ya” to “cha.”
What are you doing?
Whatcha doun?
In this lesson you’ll make these changes to simple questions that use “are you.”
Listen
What are you doing?
Whataya doun?
Whatya doun?
Whatcha doun?
Read
What are you doing?
Whataya doun?
Whatya doun?
Whatcha doun?
Exercise 1
For practice, read these questions slowly using “whataya.”
Whataya doun?
Whataya makun?
Whataya eatun?
Whataya drinkun?
Whataya buyun?
Now ask these same questions slowly using “whatya.”
Whatya doun?
Whatya makun?
Whatya eatun?
Whatya drinkun?
Whatya buyun?
Now say these sentences again using “whatcha.”
Whatcha doun?
Whatcha makun?
Whatcha eatun?
Whatcha drinkun?
Whatcha buyun?
Repeat (reading)
Now that you’ve had some practice ask these questions quickly.
Whataya doun?
Whataya makun?
Whataya eatun?
Whataya drinkun?
Whataya buyun?
Whatya doun?
Whatya makun?
Whatya eatun?
Whatya drinkun?
Whatya buyun?
Whatcha doun?
Whatcha makun?
Whatcha eatun?
Whatcha drinkun?
Whatcha have in the box?
Exercise 2
When you speak slowly and clearly, you say “What are you.” When you speak in normal conversation, you often say “Whataya.”
Repeat these sentences slowly for practice.
Whataya havun fer breakfast?
Whataya makun fer lunch?
Whataya lookun for?
Whataya doun with that?
Whataya havun fer lunch?
Repeat fast (listening)
Now repeat these sentences quickly using “whataya.”
Whataya havun fer breakfast?
Whataya makun fer lunch?
Whataya lookun for?
Whataya doun with that?
Whataya havun fer lunch?
Exercise 3
Now, for practice, change these questions to the very short informal form, “Whatya.”
Whatya havun fer breakfast?
Whatya makun fer lunch?
Whatya lookun for?
Whatya doun with that?
Whatya havun fer lunch?
Read
Now you try it even faster, change these questions using “cha.”
What are you having for breakfast?
What are you making for lunch?
What are you looking for?
What are you doing with that?
What are you having for lunch?
Exercise 4
Now, you change these sentences using “whataya.”
What are you going to buy?
What are you going to drink?
What are you going to listen to?
What are you going to fix?
Listen and Change
Now listen to these sentences and say them quickly using “Whatya.”
Whatya gunna buy?
Whatya gunna drink?
Whatya gunna listen to?
Whatya gunna fix?
Repeat
Now use the shorted form of the question “cha,” a very informal form.
Whatcha gunna buy?
Whatcha gunna drink?
Whatcha gunna listen to?
Whatcha gunna fix?
Exercise 5
Okay, so you understand the changes. Listen to these questions asked four ways, formally, with “aya,” with “ya,” and finally use “cha.” Like this:
What are you doing?
Whataya doun?
Whatya doun?
Whatcha doun?
What are you watching? Whataya? Whatya? Whatcha?
What are you going to buy?
What are you talking about?
What are you going to do?
What are you thinking about?
Final Conversation
Okay, listen to this conversation for the changes you’ve learned.
Hey, whatcha doun?
Oh, just checkun my account.
Whataya gunna buy? Somethun expensive?
Oh, just a birthday present fer my friend. I wanna get her something special.
Whatdya gunna buy? Jewelry?
I wanna buy her a nice bracelet.