How to Use the Most Important American Slang Word

You know, isn't it frustrating when you're listening to a song

or you're watching TV series and they keep saying

some strange word that you can't understand the meaning of?

Well, on today's lesson we are going to learn to understand

and even use one of the most common slang words in English: Ain't.

But before we start every single week, we help learners just like you

go from being a lost and insecure English learner

to being a confident and natural English speaker.

Just like we're doing today

by teaching you to use the word Ain't just like a native.

So if that sounds like something that you want to be able to do

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Slang is any word or phrase that you will not find in a traditional grammar book.

Slang is generally used in more informal contexts.

Now, although anyone can use slang from a little kid up to an old grandma,

from a businessman to someone who lives on the street,

usually we'll see it used more by people who maybe aren't as educated

or by young people, especially among each other.

However, it's an interesting word because it's not just used by young people

and is not just used by uneducated people or people on the streets.

We can even find celebrities like Ellen using Ain't all the time.

And finally, in any sort of artistic expression, be

it songs or be it even literature, you can find slang used.

So let's take a look at some common uses of the word Ain't.

All right, I've been using my teacher English.

And I've been saying Ain'T,

but it's pretty rare

that you'll actually find a native speaker saying it in this way.

Well, actually, I usually use a glottal T.

Let's listen to the difference.

Alright, now that you know how to say it accurately and inaccurately.

Let's take a look at the meaning of Ain't.

OK, so ain't is usually used

as a negative form of the verb to be, any conjugation of it.

Let's look at some examples.

And that's not all.

This word ain't also replaces the auxiliary verbs have not and has not.

Let's take a look at some more examples.

So when you learn new words and phrases, it's

really important that you start using them as soon as possible in your speaking.

However, many learners from around the world have told me

that their biggest frustration is they just don't have enough opportunities

to use their English with other people.

That's exactly why we decide to go ahead and solve this problem

by creating the RealLife app.

Now, this app is the only place where at the touch of a button,

you can easily connect for a fun and dynamic conversation

with another English speaker in another part of the world.

So you can talk about things like your life, other cultures,

your passions, your hobbies, or even just the weather if you want.

So why don't you give it a try? It's absolutely free.

You can go there, have a conversation with someone and try using the word ain't.

You can download it now by clicking up here or down in the description below,

or simply search for RealLife English in the Apple app or Google Play Store.

So guess what? You can also use the word Ain't in questions.

All you have to do in that case is place it before the subject of that sentence.

Let's take a look at some examples to make this clear.

So did you notice that we also often short the word YOU to YA

and then we'll connect these two because we have a T and a Y?

So instead of saying Ain't you we say Ain-chew or Aind-cha.

So again, you might have noticed some connected speech here.

It's very common to hear, ins-nee instead of isn't he.

And just as common to hear ain-nee instead of ain't he.

So let's check out some more examples of connected speech with this word ain't.

And speaking of pronunciation and connected speech, check out Andrea's

explanation of the word Innit, which is commonly used in British English.

So in the UK, people do still use the word ain't a lot, especially

in the Cockney accent, for example. However, another slang word

you'll hear is the abbreviation Innit.

It's probably one of the most used British slang words out there.

It's an abbreviation of, isn't it?

Which is in fact, a question tag In case you're not sure what this means.

Question tags are used at the end of sentences

to encourage a response from whoever you're speaking to.

An example is:

Which we shorten to.

However, Innit can be used as a question tag not only for "isn't it?"

It can also be used as a replacement for other question tags

such as Didn't you, don't you aren't you?

For example, you might say:

But instead you would say:

So you can also hear that we cut off that final T in Innit.

So it sounds more like Innih.

And instead of saying:

You could say:

Not only is Innit used as a tag question,

but it's also commonly used as a response to a question.

So you could also say it's so cold today and a response could be Innit.

So you're agreeing

using this informal word instead of, I agree, or it is.

Right now, it's your turn to share.

Where have you seen the word Ain't used?

Maybe in your favorite series or in a movie that you love?

Why don't you share it down in the comments below

some of the most fascinating uses of the word ain't that you've encountered

in your English learning?

All right, are you ready to test your knowledge of English grammar?

Let's go ahead and quizzes you on what you learned with Ain't today.

So we're going to show you some questions, and for each one,

you need to determine which word is ain't replacing.

All right, are you ready? Let's go.

So the first one: I ain't going to tell you.

You ain't got any money.

She ain't going to call him.

There ain't no sunshine when she's gone.

I ain't seen that movie.

That book is great, innit?

You went to the pub last night, innit?

Aww yeah, I hope you've had a lot of fun

learning more about one of the most common slang words in English, Ain't.

And next time you encounter this word,

then you'll surely know exactly what it means.

And you can even start trying to use it in your speaking.

Just make sure that the person that you're speaking to also knows what Aint means.

Or maybe it's an opportunity for you to teach them.

And that's absolutely one of the best ways for you to deepen your knowledge of it.

But if you still have any questions about the word ain't no problem,

that ain't no problem at all,

in fact. You can let us know

down in the comments below, and we'd be happy to help you out.

And if you want to continue on your English learning journey with us,

then be sure to hit that subscribe button

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