# ain't



## esance

Pls, I need some help 

No acabo de estar segura del sentido de "ain't"

Probably ain't as fine as she look on TV. (es una frase de una película)

Como se traduciría? Alguien podría poner otro ejemplo?  

Thanks in advance.

Saludos.

esance

Moderator's note: several threads have been merged to create this one.


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## Masood

ain't=isn't=is not
It's not a proper word , but it's commonly used in non-formal speech.

En tu ejemplo: "Probably ain't as fine as she looks on TV" -> (she) probably isn't as fine....etc

Masood.


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## ]P[hil

I can remember it can also mean:
"aren't", "hasn't" and "haven't" too..

Suerte!


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## Ana Isabel

Masood said:
			
		

> ain't=isn't=is not
> It's not a proper word , but it's commonly used in non-formal speech.
> 
> En tu ejemplo: "Probably ain't as fine as she looks on TV" -> (she) probably isn't as fine....etc
> 
> Masood.



Masood tiene toda la razón. Yo di clases de inglés durante unos años y la palabra "ain't" como tal, no existe, es decir, no es gramaticalmente correcta. Sólo que se usa en el habla coloquial. 

That isn't true = That ain't true.

Saludos y gracias por tu ayuda con lo de mi glosario.
Espero haber sido de ayuda con lo tuyo. 
Ana.


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## Ana Isabel

]P[hil said:
			
		

> I can remember it can also mean:
> "aren't", "hasn't" and "haven't" too..
> 
> Suerte!



Ehhh... la verdad es que, según lo que yo tengo entendido, eso no es cierto. 
Aren't = Are not
Hasn't = Has not
Haven't = Have not
pero ain't = isn't = is not.

Se aceptan correcciones.
Saludos,
Ana.


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## Oculto04

Ana Isabel said:
			
		

> Ehhh... la verdad es que, según lo que yo tengo entendido, eso no es cierto.
> Aren't = Are not
> Hasn't = Has not
> Haven't = Have not
> pero ain't = isn't = is not.
> 
> Se aceptan correcciones.
> Saludos,
> Ana.



Creo que al menos para "aren't" también vale.

Recuérdese la canción de Elvis Presley: 

"You ain't nothin' but a hound dog /
cryin' all the time ..."

Saludos.


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## Ana Isabel

Oculto04 said:
			
		

> Creo que al menos para "aren't" también vale.
> 
> Recuérdese la canción de Elvis Presley:
> 
> "You ain't nothin' but a hound dog /
> cryin' all the time ..."
> 
> Saludos.




Buen punto, no me acordaba de eso. Sorry.


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## esance

Graciaasss Masood, ]P[hil, Ana Isabel and OcultoO4


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## Vicki

En realidad, "ain't" es contracción de "am not" y nada más.

Por las idiosincracias del sistema fonético del idioma, los dos consonantes "m" y "n" se unen así. Es algo que se evidencia en la historia del idioma. 

Sin embargo, varias generaciones de maestros han enseñado que "ain't" no es correcto. Y ahora la gente tiene la costumbre de hablar en una manera que no debería ser aceptada: por ejemplo, "I'm pretty, aren't I?" quiere decir "I'm pretty, are not I?", lo cual no suena.

Pero es cierto, hay que reconocer que generalmente se utiliza en lugar de "are not", etc. como otros han notado. Y vale la pena evitar el uso de "ain't" si uno no está seguro de la impresión que se puede dar en un determinado contexto.

Vicki


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## esance

Seguiré vuestros consejos!


Gracias Vicki

Saludos


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## alc112

hola a todos!!
Quisiera saber que significa ain't lo he visto en muchos lados, pero nunca supe para que se usa. Por ejemplo "Ain't funny"
Muchas gracias


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## Edwin

alc112 said:
			
		

> hola a todos!!
> Quisiera saber que significa ain't lo he visto en muchos lados, pero nunca supe para que se usa.



Merriam-Webster, Incorporated dice:



> Main Entry: *ain't*
> Pronunciation: 'Ant
> Etymology: contraction of are not
> 1 : am not : are not : is not
> 2 : have not : has not
> 3 : do not : does not : did not -- used in some varieties of Black English
> usage
> 
> 
> Although widely disapproved as nonstandard and more common in the habitual speech of the less educated, ain't in senses 1 and 2 is flourishing in American English. It is used in both speech and writing to catch attention and to gain emphasis <the wackiness of movies, once so deliciously amusing, ain't funny anymore -- Richard Schickel> <I am telling you--there ain't going to be any blackmail -- R. M. Nixon>. It is used especially in journalistic prose as part of a consistently informal style <the creative process ain't easy -- Mike Royko>. This informal ain't is commonly distinguished from habitual ain't by its frequent occurrence in fixed constructions and phrases <well--class it ain't -- Cleveland Amory> <for money? say it ain't so, Jimmy! -- Andy Rooney> <you ain't seen nothing yet> <that ain't hay> <two out of three ain't bad> <if it ain't broke, don't fix it>. In fiction ain't is used for purposes of characterization; in familiar correspondence it tends to be the mark of a warm personal friendship. It is also used for metrical reasons in popular songs <Ain't She Sweet> <It Ain't Necessarily So>. Our evidence shows British use to be much the same as American.


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## buggy

hola, pues este es miprimer post y a pesar de que mi ingles no es muy bueno tratare de ayudar 

ain't como lo he interpretado es la negacion de algo, seria comousar un don`t , pero en este caso va antes del verbo

ain't funny = no es gracioso

no I ain't = yo no  

espero que sirva


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## alc112

buggy said:
			
		

> hola, pues este es miprimer post y a pesar de que mi ingles no es muy bueno tratare de ayudar
> 
> ain't como lo he interpretado es la negacion de algo, seria comousar un don`t , pero en este caso va antes del verbo
> 
> ain't funny = no es gracioso
> 
> no I ain't = yo no
> 
> espero que sirva


 
muchas gracias a ambos


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## lulio

Hola a todos.

Quisiera pedirles ayuda para comprender cómo se usa "ain't". Entiendo que reemplaza a "are not, have not, am not" y otros por el estilo, pero me parece que su uso no sigue reglas gramaticales inglesas.

La he escuchado muhco en canciones y conversaciones de americanos, no sé si su uso es restringido a los estados unidos o si abarca un área más amplia.

Saludos a todos,
Lulio


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## te gato

lulio said:
			
		

> Hola a todos.
> 
> Quisiera pedirles ayuda para comprender cómo se usa "ain't". Entiendo que reemplaza a "are not, have not, am not" y otros por el estilo, pero me parece que su uso no sigue reglas gramaticales inglesas.
> 
> La he escuchado muhco en canciones y conversaciones de americanos, no sé si su uso es restringido a los estados unidos o si abarca un área más amplia.
> 
> Saludos a todos,
> Lulio


Hi Lulio;
Welcome to the forum!!!

Ain't..is used in English..but it is not realy 'proper'...."He ain't got any money"
It gets the meaning across..."he does not have any money"...
Here is a good link to check out...but if you ain't got the time right now that's ok... 

http://www.wonderfulwritingskillsunhandbook.com/html/why__standard__english.html



te gato


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## cubaMania

Hola Lulio,

Creo que 'ain't' se oye en todas partes del mundo de habla inglés, pero es incorrecto.  Prestas atención que si lo usas te marca como inculto.  Mejor no usarlo menos que tengas objetivo especial como la dramática o la ironía.


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## mjscott

Tienen un dicho en inglés de los EEUU:

Ain’t ain’t a word, ‘cause it ain’t in the dictionary!

Bienvenidos al foro, lulio.


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## lulio

Muchas gracias por vuestros comentarios, muy entretenidos y muy educativos.
Muchas gracias por la bienvenida.
Thanks everybody.

Regards, Lulio.


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## galadriel

Tengo una duda porque he visto varias veces la palabra ain't negando alguna acción o algo, la entiendo en contexto.....pero no se que significa, me imagino que es un modismo pero para añadirla a mi lexico ( no muy amplio pero bueno....estoy trabajando para ampliarlo) me gustaría saber alguna definición. Encontré esto:
*ain't* [eɪnt] _US fam_ *1 is not 2 are not 3 has not 4 have not*

*pero en realidad no me dice mucho.....*
Ojala puedan ayudarme....

Galadriel


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## Outsider

_Ain't_ = no es. No se trata de un modismo, sino de una contracción antigua en inglés. Pero su uso es considerado muy coloquial.


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## cristóbal

Outsider said:
			
		

> _Ain't_ = no es. No se trata de un modismo, sino de una contracción antigua en inglés. Pero su uso es considerado muy coloquial.



"Ain't" no es una contracción antigua, sino que sólo tiene un poco más de 200 años, así que, en comparación con la lengua inglesa... de todos modos, además de ser considerado coloquial, su uso es considerado incorrecto y los que la utilizan normalmente se consideran pobremente educados.

Conforme vas aprendiendo inglés más y más, te encontrarás con dichos, refranes y frases hechas que incluyen la contracción susodicha.  Yo te aconsejaría que ciñaras tu uso de la contracción a ese ámbito.   Cuando tienes una maestría de la lengua que te dé cierta confianza, el uso de una palabra como esta te podría ayudar en demostrar que entiendes la lengua, ya que no solamente sabes la gramática purísima y impecable, sino que también tienes conocimiento del "habla mala."  Pero, ten cuidado. 

Dicho esto, utilízala cuanto quieras, pero siempre que te acuerdes de que es incorrecta y no se acepta como gramática correcta (bajo ninguna circunstancia) y su único uso justificable en la lengua impresa sería como representación del habla coloquial de un personaje.


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## charmedboi82

cristóbal said:
			
		

> "Ain't" no es una contracción antigua, sino que sólo tiene un poco más de 200 años, así que, en comparación con la lengua inglesa... de todos modos, además de ser considerado coloquial, su uso es considerado incorrecto y los que la utilizan normalmente se consideran pobremente educados.



Aunque lo pusiste en comparacion con la lengua inglesa, diria que 200 anos son muchos para la mayoria de la gente. Yo, si, creo que es una contraccion antigua y pongo este enlace para contradecir un poquito lo que escribiste. No digo que no tengas razon sino que solo quiero que se presenten varias perspectivas (aunque esta no es tan distinta a la tuya).

Espero que la persona que empezo este hilo pueda disfrutar de lo que dice este parafito.

*Example 1: ain't*
"_an't _(early Mod Eng [ænt]) for    _am (are is) not_ is apparently of late 17th-century origin;    the variant _ain't_ occurs about a century later... [at    about this time, due to two sound changes in _aren't_,    æ > a and loss of /r/, the two became homophones and got    confused]. Now the form _aren't I_ has gained ground    among those who consider _ain't_ a linguistic mortal sin.    Although _ain't_ has fallen victim to a series of schoolteachers' crusades, ... [it was frequently used at the time by very highly educated, cultivated people]... Despite its current reputation as a shibboleth of uneducated speech, _ain't_ is still used by many cultivated speakers in informal    circumstances."
   (p. 203) [This would be me -- SG] [Especially the    "cultivated" part]

http://www.uoregon.edu/~spike/ling290/badEnglish.html​


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## cristóbal

charmedboi82 said:
			
		

> Despite its current reputation as a shibboleth of uneducated speech, _ain't_ is still used by many cultivated speakers in informal    circumstances.




Pues eso.     Gracias, y de ninguna manera soy yo el especialista en esto, así que, contradime cuanto quieras.


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## alc112

Unas preguntas:
¿EL ain't puede ir con cualquier persona?
¿Se lo puede user en otros tiempos que no sean presente?
¿Sólo niega al verbo To be?
Saludos


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## Perro

Yo tengo la misma duda que ALC112

mis profesores de Ingles en México, nunca quisieron decirme que significaba, solo se reian, me imagino que es por lo que Ustedes comentaban de que era muy Informal, y tambien me dieron las explicaciones que se usaba con is, are, am,have, ect...


Me quede siempre con esta duda y Ustedes como que no se ponen de acuerdo, como usarse, yo me he topado mucho con esta palabra en las canciones de los Beatles, por que me gustan mucho


saludos


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## El Estudiante

alc112 said:
			
		

> Unas preguntas:
> ¿EL ain't puede ir con cualquier persona?
> ¿Se lo puede user en otros tiempos que no sean presente?
> ¿Sólo niega al verbo To be?
> Saludos



Hola Alc, aquí están mis respuestas a tus preguntas:

Ain't sí que puede ir con cualquier persona. (I, you, he, we, you, they) ain't.
Sólo se puede usar en el presente.
Sí, sólo niega al verbo to be.

Saludos


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## odelotj

De acuerdo con el estudiante. Muy bien dicho, pero es cierto, es muy informal y "not proper English".  Por ejemplo, yo casi NUNCA uso esa palabra, al menos que estoy bromeando.  A veces la gente usa esa palabra para hacerle burla a alguien tonto.  Es cruel, pero, bueno, ahi esta.  Y tampoco, ni en broma, usaria la palabra en mi trabajo.  Se que es mas comun en Texas, Alabama, etc.  Depende el area de los EEUU, es mas o es menos aceptado.


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## El Estudiante

Creo que vale la pena subrayar lo que dijo odelotj: ain't no es inglés correcto, y definitivamente es mejor no usarlo. Si nunca usas ain't, no vas a extrañarlo. Pero, ya que mucha gente en los EEUU lo usa, es útil saber lo que significa.

Saludos


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## HOLA

Saben que significa?


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## cubaMania

HOLA, la verdad es que sería mejor no usarlo si no quieres parecer incult@.


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## Microcosmos

creo que nunca lo debes usar en lenguaje escrito a menos que estás escribiendo/traduciendo diálogo, como en ficción


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## josue_ernesto

Oye! me llamas inculto?  La verdad es que sí, en el idioma formal, no se usa. o sea entrevistas, conferencias, discursos, ect. pero está bien usado en la calle o con otras personas conocidas. No soy inculto, y lo uso junto con el resto de EEUU en el dialogo callejero.


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## Afrodeeziak

josue_ernesto said:
			
		

> Oye! me llamas inculto? La verdad es que sí, en el idioma formal, no se usa. o sea entrevistas, conferencias, discursos, ect. pero está bien usado en la calle o con otras personas conocidas. No soy inculto, y lo uso junto con el resto de EEUU en el dialogo callejero.



 You ain't incluto. I totally agree. As a native speaker, I have the ability to speak perfectly when I must speak to certain people, but change my speaking to conform to others. If you speak with perfect grammar to your peers, they will feel as though you are condescending, and if you speak with bad grammar to older people, they will think you are ignorant. 

Yes, I say ain't, but only for emphasis in certain situations.


   So, if you are learning English, try to stay in the middle. Don't say "ain't," but please understand what it means. And don’t correct a native speaker. If someone is uneducated enough to make terrible grammatical mistakes while speaking in their native tongue, they are also uneducated enough to take out a baseball bat and teach you some respect. My friend learned that the hard way.


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## josue_ernesto

I totally agree.  Don't worry though, I won't come after you with a baseball bat! .  To HOLA: fíjate como lo están usando, y si se parece que lo usan mucho, no te preocupes en usarlo.  Pero mejor practicar la forma correcta


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## nikvin

Aint is far less acceptable in BE than AE, and would , although heard a great deal, especially in the Greater London area, give an  impression of someone with only a very basic command of the English language


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## Afrodeeziak

Exactly. British English is far superior and sounds more educated. American sarcasm is still stronger than ever.

(Just rattling a few cages)


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## soupdragon78

I found this in:Notes from Pyles and Algeo's 1993 book:
_The Origins and Development of the English Language_:

*Example 1: ain't*

"_an't _(early Mod Eng [ænt]) for _am (are is) not_ is apparently of late 17th-century origin; the variant _ain't_ occurs about a century later... [at about this time, due to two sound changes in _aren't_, æ > a and loss of /r/, the two became homophones and got confused]. Now the form _aren't I_ has gained ground among those who consider _ain't_ a linguistic mortal sin. Although _ain't_ has fallen victim to a series of schoolteachers' crusades, ... [it was frequently used at the time by very highly educated, cultivated people]... Despite its current reputation as a shibboleth of uneducated speech, _ain't_ is still used by many cultivated speakers in informal circumstances."
(p. 203) [This would be me -- SG] [Especially the "cultivated" part]

Soup  ​


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## demadera

I just ran across this thread, and thought I would add my two cents worth. I tend to think ain't is a very southern word. To me it doesn't sound very educated.  I've heard it used in a variety of ways.

I ain't done it yet.  _I haven't done it yet._
I ain't never seen him.  _I have never seen him._
I ain't gonna do it. _I am not going to do it.


_


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## cuchuflete

Hola Demadera,
Bienvenid@ a los foros,

Careful with regional stereotypes, please.  Southern?  You will hear it in every corner of the EEUU.  It is certainly common in the northeastern states.

Un saludo,
Cuchuflete



			
				demadera said:
			
		

> I just ran across this thread, and thought I would add my two cents worth. I tend to think ain't is a very southern word. To me it doesn't sound very educated. I've heard it used in a variety of ways.
> 
> I ain't done it yet.  _I haven't done it yet._
> I ain't never seen him.  _I have never seen him._
> I ain't gonna do it. _I am not going to do it.
> 
> 
> _


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## jrundin

En origén, la palabra "ain't" es la contracción de "am not." 
Fue una palabra legítima y acceptada, pero, los "prescriptistas linguisticos" han decido que no vale como forma acceptada. Pero su uso perdura. 

En dialectos informales de inglés donde yo vivo (y yo creo esto vale por mucho del mundo de habla inglesa, su uso se ha ampliado mucho) y ahora se puede usar come el negativo del verbo "to be" en el presente en todas personas. 

"I ain't..."
"You ain't..."
etcetera. 

Además, se usa ahora para el negativo del verbo auxiliar "have" (pero no para todos usos del verbo "have)" 

Es decire "I ain't seen her" = [en inglés formal] "I haven't seen her." = "No la he visto."


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## jdenson

El Estudiante said:
			
		

> Creo que vale la pena subrayar lo que dijo odelotj: ain't no es inglés correcto, y definitivamente es mejor no usarlo. Si nunca usas ain't, no vas a extrañarlo. Pero, ya que mucha gente en los EEUU lo usa, es útil saber lo que significa.
> 
> Saludos


El Estudiante, I couldn't agree more. All languages have words which are best left to native speakers and _ain't_ is one of those words in English. Non-native speakers need to know what it means, but they also need to know that perhaps no other word in English so quickly labels the user as uneducated. 

JD


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## jrundin

Estoy de acuerdo, JD. Pero es misterioso porqué el uso de esta palabra inocente causa tantas reacciones. 

El ingles necesita una contracción de "am not," y "ain't" la contracción tradicional. Buenos escritores lo usó hace dos o tres siglos. Ahora la antipatía contra esta palabra es tan fuerte que no podemos formar cuestiones de un modo racional--tenemos que decir "Aren't I going with you." (Debemos decir "Ain't I going with you?").


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## Fonεtiks

Vicky that info was new to me too, thanks!
And regarding the use of ain't only in the present... I heard it in the past and future too! Plus, it's usually with double or triple negative, ain't it?

I ain't gotten around to it / I ain't travelin' nowhere (double negation)
This ain't no good for nobody


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## tonuco

Hola,

Ya se que *ain't* no es inglés correcto,pero se usa mucho y creo que para un estudiante de Inglés es importante saber el significado,igual que el de *gonna*,*gotta*,*wanna*,..

Respecto a ain't tengo una duda:cuando va seguido de got quiere decir no tengo y simplemente ain't,el significado es no hay (o sea el equivalente a there is no)?

Gracias y saludos


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## Sabelotodo

I ain't got = I have not got/I haven't got.

There aint = There is not/There are not/There isn't/There aren't

There ain't no = There is not any /There isn't any/There are not any/There aren't any

I ain't got no money. = I don't have any money.


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## ailama

segun tengo entendido es, como tu bien dices, "no tengo", lo que no quiere decir que pueda tener algún significado más.

es como: _ain't got no money _


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## Phryne

tonuco said:
			
		

> Hola,
> 
> Ya se que *ain't* no es inglés correcto,pero se usa mucho y creo que para un estudiante de Inglés es importante saber el significado,igual que el de *gonna*,*gotta*,*wanna*,..
> 
> Respecto a ain't tengo una duda:cuando va seguido de got quiere decir no tengo y simplemente ain't,el significado es no hay (o sea el equivalente a there is no)?
> 
> Gracias y saludos


_ Ain't_ sirve algo sí como negación y verbo auxiliar al mismo tiempo. Por ejemplo:

I ain't coming tonight. ==== I *am not* coming tonight.
She ain't working now. ==== She *is not *working now
It ain't that simple. === It *is not* that simple
I ain't got no time.  ===== I *haven't* got (any) time.

Saludos


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## tonuco

Muchas gracias a todos,aunque ahora casi tengo más lío que antes

Alex


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## Soy Yo

No tengo ninguna prueba, pero un profesor me dijo hace muuuchos años que "ain't" era una contracción que se usaba para "am not".... Pero nunca fue aceptada por los gramáticos o quizás dejaron de aceptarla... o qué sé yo.... De todas maneras, al pueblo, especialmente al pueblo inculto, le vas a quitar algo tan útil como "ain't"... se extendió para todas las personas (I, you, he, she...etc. ain't)

Ahora el Merriam Webster dice: ain't: (1) are not, is not, am not--though disapproved by many and more common in less educated speech, used orally in most parts of the U.S. by many educated speakers esp. in the phrase "ain't I". (2) substandard usage: have not; has not.

Así que dependiendo del contexto, "ain't" = am not, is not, are not, have not, has not.  (Como ya te han explicado.)


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## aurilla

En las escuelas, para hacer hincapié sobre el hecho de que es una palabra que no se debe utilizar, por ser incorrecta, los maestros nos decían--en son de broma-- "'Ain't' ain't in the dictionary!"


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## Residente Calle 13

Hi Aurilla,

Aquí hay un artículo interesante sobre la contraction.


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## mikenike

NEVER use the word "ain't" ...only people in the South (USA) use it...and it's practically not even a word.  If you use it in writing you're almost wrong...if you say it, people will think you're weird / don't speak english very well.


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## Edwin

mikenike said:
			
		

> NEVER use the word "ain't" ...only people in the South (USA) use it...and it's practically not even a word.  If you use it in writing you're almost wrong...if you say it, people will think you're weird / don't speak english very well.



In spite of "practicaly not being a word" it occurs frequently on the internet: "ain't".


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## mikenike

ok...it's used by some but not commonly and it's cacophonous. It is much more acceptable to say "(some form of "to be") not". I've never heard someone say "ain't"...it's just not common, and it certainly is not written in any formal paper.


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## tonyray

Well, in A-town we use "ain't" a lot. However, I do concur with mikenike in that "ain't" should not be used in formal writings or situations. I'm not sure of the etymology of "ain't."


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## la_mas_deseada

the word ain't is used all over the English speaking world, but almost everywhere it is considered bad grammar in standrad english. Perhaps in "black english" it is accepted.


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## Joey.

Si, no es correcto en ensayos (y otras cosas formales). Y tambien,  no se usa mucho por la general. Si, pienso que mas personas del sur de america usa esto que las personas en el norte.

La uinca tiempo en que yo lo usaria (o podia usarlo) es "ain't gonna happen!". Pero esta frase es con enfasis, y no uso con frequencia.
-Joe


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## Edwin

la_mas_deseada said:
			
		

> the word ain't is used all over the English speaking world, but almost everywhere it is considered bad grammar in standrad english. Perhaps in "black english" it is accepted.



It is acceptable in many circles. Even so-called educated people use it for effect from time to time. For example in expressions such as "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." You will also hear it in many songs, I recall the line, "it ain't necessarily so". As for it being cacaphonous, I don't agree. 

I think you will find many discussions of the word in this forum.   Follow some of the links here: "ain't"

Perhaps it takes a certain amount of sophistication and self-confidence to use it effectively. Either that or a complete lack of sophistication. 

For some positive views of the word ain't see the Wikipedia article devoted to this word at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ain't


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## SofiaB

Ain't is used in all English speaking countries. If you say the south please specify f you mean the US, England, Australia, etc. It is certainly used in the US north, south, east and west. While it is true that ain't is not standard English it has existed for centuries. I remember years ago the saying I ain't gonna use ain't 'cause ain't, ain't in the dictionary. Well it is in the distionary now. Nevertheless we should tell students although ain't is not uncommon in all varieties of English it is still considered substandard.


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## tortor24tortor

haha, well I am from Oklahoma and it is very common here.. it is considered a hick word though.. and does have a variety of meanings.. Mostly forms of "to be". It is used in a lot of country songs. A popular saying for kids here in the south when they are learning that they are not supposed to say it is, "Don't say ain't 'cuz ain't ain't a word." Sometimes I use it in writing, but only informally to good friends.. I would never use that word in any kind of paper for school or something like that. Of course, in my school contractions aren't even accepted in formal writing.


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## mhp

The usage of “ain’t” in English is actually a few hundred years old, as SofiaB has noted, and was not considered improper until Dickens branded it as a Cockney word. Also as Edwin has noted, in AmE it is now used with some degree of sophistication to force an informal tone. 

  I am telling you--there _ain't _going to be any blackmail -- Richard Nixon.

  What is considered a “sin” is the habitual use of the word.


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## srojo

I was thinking about Fats Domino.... 

"ain't that a shame...."


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## hvalenz

ain,t    Really is and slang expresion and contraction of I am not,  is not write to use it in conversation or writing..


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## Arnaldo Alegré

Does exist any set rule for using *ain't* as a negative form?
Can I use it in any tense? singular and plural? 

thanx a lot!


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## Reina140

Ain't is not proper English; however, it is in the dictionary.

Either way, I wouldn't use it in any tense. It will make you sound less educated.

But just to inform you, when used, it can be used single and plural.

They ain't coming to the party.

I ain't putting up with this crap.

It's very bad english and I ain't gonna be the one to tell you it's okay to use it.


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## konungursvia

You shouldn't use it, but should understand it when uneducated gringos do. It can be heard with any number, singular or plural, but only the present tense. It derives from i(s)n't it, or the old "innit?".


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## andym

I _think_ the only rule to remember is that it is slang so you can't use it in any formal or semi-formal context.

I don't think you can use it in the pluperfect.


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## andym

konungursvia said:


> You shouldn't use it, but should understand it when uneducated gringos do. It can be heard with any number, singular or plural, but only the present tense. It derives from i(s)n't it, or the old "innit?".



I think it's a contraction of 'isn't' (or maybe aren't?) - either way it's not just an interrogative.

Any you can still hear 'innit' in london. 'It's a London thing, innit'?

And I'm sure you could say 'I ain't been there'.


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## Arnaldo Alegré

Ok, let me prove if I understand...

I am not a XXX = I ain't a XXX
You are not a XXX = You ain't a XXX
He/She/it is not a XXX = He/She/it ain't a XXX

I have not been at XXX = I ain't been at XXX
He/She/it has not been at XXX = He/She/it ain't been at XXX

I could use "ain't" only in these cases; however I shouldn't use if I want to talk in proper English.

 

By the way, what does "innit" mean?, is it another BE slang?


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## Whatclos

I went to college in indiana and the farmers all use it...

is a great day innit - but i dont think ive ever seen it spelled out i aint gona lie.


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## arellaca

Could it be like "isn't it"

It's a great day, innit?

Carlos


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## Reina140

Yes, it means "isn't it" but it always sounded more like "idn it" to me . . . either way . . . it's improper and especially for someone with an accent and also not from the "country" . . . you will not be understood.


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## quizasundia

Ain't comes from a contraction of "am not" (amn't) which changed over time to ain't.  It is spoken by many (millions) of native speakers.  It is considered to be "uneducated", but be careful using language to judge more than the message being conveyed.  I wouldn't recommend using ain't in any formal settings, but in any casual setting I think it is fine.  I personally do not use it very often.  It just isn't a part of my dialect.


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## giannid

I use it once in a while for emphasis or shock value.


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## caballosgirl

Hola,

innit isn't just BE, it's also american english. It comes from saying "isn't it" fast. innit great? I actually have seen it spelled out, but i think maybe just to put someone's style of speaking onto paper or maybe their dialect. i do use innit every once in awhile. 

"Ain't" makes you sound like a "hill-billy" or un-educated. I'm not quite sure if it's so much a difference in dialect or if it's an individual issue. And I do think education does have something to do with it, because any well educated person in any urban setting doesn't use "ain't" to my knowledge. Maybe they'll use it in non-formal occasions in rural settings? That I do not know. But honestly, I don't think it's used that much even in rural settings if they had a good education. Some places it may be more accepted, but in general it does not sound educated. I would suggest not using it at all. I personally can't use it, even in a joking fashion(for example, mocking someone's southern accent by using it). I ain't gonna lie, it sounds bad(and it's killing me to actually use it in a sentence, in this case, I would say: I'm not gonna lie). There, I used "ain't" in a sentence. That will probably be the first and last time I use it. 

Emphasis or shock value? hmm....I just use other techniques for emphasis and shock value.  I'm not gonna do THAT!!! Are you kidding me?!  I just can't find it in me to use it in a sentence.  I'm a perfectionist with my grammar and my speech, and to my ear and eye it looks/sounds bad.  Whatever works though 

saludos y espero que sea de ayuda


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## Germanazo

and when somebody tells you "isnt it?" can i say "aint it?" ?. or it sounds hick? 

thanks


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## jabogitlu

You mean as a response to "isn't it?"  I think you've have to say yes or no. 

But if you mean to use it in place of "isn't it?" then no, I'd not use it.  It carries a very strong sense of colloquialism.


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## Germanazo

yes, i wanted it to answer, ill take it into acount. i just wanted to make it easier when i speak. i mean that "aint" is easier to pronounce than "isnt". well... in any case, thanks for your correction


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## gomie2003

Sometimes, "ain't" is the best choice, but rarely.  One example is "Ain't I?"
"Aren't I?" is sometimes preferred and sounds more formal, but it is not technically correct.  The correct way to say it would be "Am I not?" but many people would say "ain't I?"


----------



## Ms Missy

la_mas_deseada said:


> the word ain't is used all over the English speaking world, but almost everywhere it is considered bad grammar in standrad english. Perhaps in "black english" it is accepted.


 
If "ain't" is considered as substandard English, then I find it offensive to say that *Perhaps in "black english" it is accepted.*  Please keep in mind that this Forum is visited by people of all nationalities and races, and no race or culture should be singled out as accepting something as "normal" that the rest of the world finds substandard and offensive.  Even to say that it's used mainly in the southern states of the USA is not true.  I am caucasian, born and bred in a northern state in a middle income family, and yet many of my caucasian friends (as well as myself) will often use the word "ain't" in casual conversation.  So please don't try to pin it only on Blacks and Hillbillies!   It's a slang word ... PERIOD, no matter who uses it!


----------



## Grekh

Joey. said:


> Sí, no es correcto en ensayos (*ni en* otras cosas*/documentos* formales). Y *tampoco* se usa mucho por *lo* general. Sí, pienso que las personas del sur de américa usa esto más que las personas *del* norte.
> 
> La *única* *ocasión* en que yo lo usaria (o *podría* usarlo) es  "ain't gonna happen!". Pero esta frase es con enfasis, y no *la *uso/*digo* con frequencia.
> -Joe


 
Hi Joe...I just made few corrections..Hope it doesn't bother you..


----------



## Redline2200

gomie2003 said:


> Sometimes, "ain't" is the best choice, but rarely. One example is "Ain't I?"
> "Aren't I?" is sometimes preferred and sounds more formal, but it is not technically correct. The correct way to say it would be "Am I not?" but many people would say "ain't I?"


 
I really hate to be picky  , but I completely disagree.

*Ain't* is never the best choice under any circumstance for standard English. Period.
Even in the case of *ain't I*, *ain't* still sounds horrendous to me. Although* aren't I* is not _technically_ correct, it is much more accepted than *ain't I*. 
The American Heritage® Book of English Usage explains it better:


> *A**in’t I?* The stigmatization of _ain’t_ leaves us with no happy alternative for use in first-person questions. The widely used _aren’t I?,_ though illogical, was found acceptable for use in speech by a majority of the Usage Panel in an early survey, but in writing there is no alternative to saying _am I not?_


In my opinion as a native English-speaker, *ain't* should be avoided at all costs when trying to speak standard English, unless you are trying to sound informal on purpose such as our ex-president Nixon.


----------



## RussUS

Ms Missy said:


> If "ain't" is considered as substandard English, then I find it offensive to say that *Perhaps in "black english" it is accepted.* Please keep in mind that this Forum is visited by people of all nationalities and races, and no race or culture should be singled out as accepting something as "normal" that the rest of the world finds substandard and offensive. Even to say that it's used mainly in the southern states of the USA is not true. I am caucasian, born and bred in a northern state in a middle income family, and yet many of my caucasian friends (as well as myself) will often use the word "ain't" in casual conversation. So please don't try to pin it only on Blacks and Hillbillies! It's a slang word ... PERIOD, no matter who uses it!


 
I absolutely concur. Well said Ms Missy!


----------



## mariente

Bueno aint es una contracción entre isnt y arent--> aint. 
Se usa indistamente para todos los pronombres, pero es muy slang, no recomiendo usarlo normalmente, sin embargo no está mal


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## jabogitlu

"Ain't" (or "an't") at one period in English history was used by the educated.  It has since fallen to the wayside, largely due to the crusades of crotchety English teachers sporting pince-nez and sharp tongues.  I think it's very unfortunate as it's a tremendously useful little word!


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## mazbook

Hola jabogitlu:

¿Cree "gonna", "wanna", "k", etc. son palabras buenas sólo porque las son útiles? 

Saludos desde Mazatlán


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## nramav

Even Eminen use it! and I agree that slang does not stay just in a social group. Redneck?


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## Germanazo

lets try not to change the subject. the main question was "aint". i guess everybody knows that the use of "wanna, gonna, kinda..." depends of the habit, easiness of pronunciation, seriousness and things like that. nobody is gonna use it when you talk with your boss... period


----------



## mazbook

Germanazo said:


> lets try not to change the subject. the main question was "aint". i guess everybody knows that the use of "wanna, gonna, kinda..." depends of the habit, easiness of pronunciation, seriousness and things like that. nobody is gonna use it when you talk with your boss... period


Better not use "ain't" when you talk to your boss, either. 

Saludos desde Mazatlán


----------



## Ms Missy

*Re: Better not use "ain't" when you talk to your boss, either.* 

Okay, that might be stretching it a bit, since it would depend on the type of work you were doing. I doubt that a farm hand would get fired for using the word "ain't" to his boss. I also doubt that anyone who would be prone to use the word "ain't" to the boss, would be employed in a professional position anyway. In the lower skilled jobs the employers are more interested in skills rather than grammar.

Just a thought, since I try and shy away from generalizations such as _nobody, always, everybody,_ etc.


----------



## jabogitlu

> ¿Cree "gonna", "wanna", "k", etc. son palabras buenas sólo porque las son útiles?



Of course they (and ain't) are good words.  What's your definition of good?


----------



## caballoschica

Ms Missy said:


> *Re: Better not use "ain't" when you talk to your boss, either.*
> 
> Okay, that might be stretching it a bit, since it would depend on the type of work you were doing. I doubt that a farm hand would get fired for using the word "ain't" to his boss. I also doubt that anyone who would be prone to use the word "ain't" to the boss, would be employed in a professional position anyway. In the lower skilled jobs the employers are more interested in skills rather than grammar.
> 
> Just a thought, since I try and shy away from generalizations such as _nobody, always, everybody,_ etc.



I completely agree that a farm hand would not get fired and that generalizations are bad.  Ain't is commonly used in some areas, yet it still isn't good English.  And in some areas it's rare and sounds uneducated.  Like mine.  I don't hear it aside from the rural people in the state that I'm in.  I'm in an urban environment, though and rarely hear it.


----------



## hvalenz

Ok.  these Terms, are completelly different one of other. 
*Ain't*  is a contraction of I am not,  and is cosidered a slang expresion, or bad English.
*Isn't it*. is a negative affirmation of some for instance,  Today's day is very sunny, isn't it. 

El termino, Ain't se considera slang o ingles bulgar y no es correcto, ni bien visto unsandolo. y es contraccion de No, No lo soy o no lo estoy
El termino Ins't  es una afirmacion negativa o positiva.. por ejemplo,
El dia de hoy es soleado, No es cierto?. (este es el Isn't it),


----------



## jdenson

Ms Missy said:


> If "ain't" is considered as substandard English, then I find it offensive to say that *Perhaps in "black english" it is accepted.*  Please keep in mind that this Forum is visited by people of all nationalities and races, and no race or culture should be singled out as accepting something as "normal" that the rest of the world finds substandard and offensive.  Even to say that it's used mainly in the southern states of the USA is not true.  I am caucasian, born and bred in a northern state in a middle income family, and yet many of my caucasian friends (as well as myself) will often use the word "ain't" in casual conversation.  So please don't try to pin it only on Blacks and Hillbillies!   It's a slang word ... PERIOD, no matter who uses it!


Before being offended, perhaps you should get your facts straight. La_mas_deseada said, "...but almost everywhere it is considered bad grammar in standrad standard English." (The corrections are mine.) Nowhere did she use the word "substandard". It is a fact that "ain't" is not a part of Standard English, and it is a fact that "ain't" is commonly used in Black English. Why you find that offensive is a mystery to me.
JD


----------



## ampurdan

NOTA DEL MODERADOR: He unido varios hilos que trataban sobre el mismo tema.


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## jabogitlu

> *Ain't*  is a contraction of I am not,  and is cosidered a slang expresion, or bad English.



You're correct, but "ain't" is also a contraction if "Is not" and an alternate of "isn't," exemplified in "Ain't he?"

It's also a contraction of "are not" (aren't) - > Ain't we?


----------



## gatogab

lulio said:


> Hola a todos.
> 
> Quisiera pedirles ayuda para comprender cómo se usa "ain't". Entiendo que reemplaza a "are not, have not, am not" y otros por el estilo, pero me parece que su uso no sigue reglas gramaticales inglesas.
> 
> La he escuchado muhco en canciones y conversaciones de americanos, no sé si su uso es restringido a los estados unidos o si abarca un área más amplia.
> 
> Saludos a todos,
> Lulio


 

*The word "ain't"*
"Ain't" was originally derived from the negative contraction of "am not", but in the 19th century it began being used indiscriminately for "is not" and "are not" disregarding person agreement. This misuse associated a stigma with the word "ain't" so that now it is considered substandard or slang. "Ain't" is generally used by people who are illiterate, ignorant, and uneducated. It is not unusual to hear "you ain't", "they ain't", "he ain't", etc., but it is considered wrong, wrong, wrong! If you want to succeed in life, don't use the word "ain't".

http://www.scientificpsychic.com/grammar/to_be.html

gatogab


----------



## Argónida

gatogab said:


> *The word "ain't"*
> "Ain't" was originally derived from the negative contraction of "am not", but in the 19th century it began being used indiscriminately for "is not" and "are not" disregarding person agreement. This misuse associated a stigma with the word "ain't" so that now it is considered substandard or slang. "Ain't" is generally used by people who are illiterate, ignorant, and uneducated. It is not unusual to hear "you ain't", "they ain't", "he ain't", etc., but it is considered wrong, wrong, wrong! If you want to succeed in life, don't use the word "ain't".
> 
> http://www.scientificpsychic.com/grammar/to_be.html
> 
> gatogab


 
Sin embargo, lo usaban mucho por ejemplo Los Beatles. ¿Los Beatles no eran medio pijillos...?

¿Alguien que sepa español puede indicar alguna expresión nuestra que suene igual de inculta o de mal, que sea similar en ese sentido al "ain't", en cuanto a su mala fama?


----------



## HistofEng

gatogab said:


> but it is considered wrong, wrong, wrong! If you want to succeed in life, don't use the word "ain't".[/COLOR]
> 
> 
> 
> gatogab


 
I disagree strongly. Ain't is simply a very informal word.
I have heard it used by educated people with university degrees, professors, newscasters, etc when trying to emphasize their ideas. (though they use it rarely, they certainly don't hesitate to use it).

Furthermore, in some parts of the US (or in some dialects) it is perfectly acceptable to use it. This is certainly so for African American Vernacular English. 

I'm Ivy-League educated and not only did I have a few brilliant and well-read friends who used it, I would not discriminate against users if I were in the position of employing them.

However I realize that a lot of people do, indeed, discriminate and so I too would advise English learners (and for that matter native English speakers as well) to be very careful about context.


----------



## Doval

HistofEng said:


> I disagree strongly. Ain't is simply a very informal word.
> I have heard it used by educated people with university degrees, professors, newscasters, etc when trying to emphasize their ideas. (though they use it rarely, they certainly don't hesitate to use it).
> 
> Furthermore, in some parts of the US (or in some dialects) it is perfectly acceptable to use it. This is certainly so for African American Vernacular English.
> 
> I'm Ivy-League educated and not only did I have a few brilliant and well-read friends who used it, I would not discriminate against users if I were in the position of employing them.
> 
> However I realize that a lot of people do, indeed, discriminate and so I too would advise English learners (and for that matter native English speakers as well) to be very careful about context.


Well said


----------



## rbeard

Everything you need to know about the word _ain't_ in English (and then some) is provided at the alphaDictionary site in the article in Dr. Goodword's Office titled "_Ain't_ isn't a four-letter word."


----------



## Nawin

Entonces, ain't puede ser usado también como am not? porque en algunos diccionarios pone que si y en otro que no,
 muchas gracias


----------



## mhp

Nawin said:


> Entonces, ain't puede ser usado también como am not? porque en algunos diccionarios pone que si y en otro que no,
> muchas gracias


 A lo mejor alguien ya lo ha dicho: Sí, significa “am not”, pero su uso está bastante criticado. Es mejor no usarla, a menos que tengas un nivel de inglés muy alto, porque si no, sonarías inculto.


----------



## ishiba

Vicki said:


> En realidad, "ain't" es contracción de "am not" y nada más.
> 
> Por las idiosincracias del sistema fonético del idioma, los dos consonantes "m" y "n" se unen así. Es algo que se evidencia en la historia del idioma.
> 
> Sin embargo, varias generaciones de maestros han enseñado que "ain't" no es correcto. Y ahora la gente tiene la costumbre de hablar en una manera que no debería ser aceptada: por ejemplo, "I'm pretty, aren't I?" quiere decir "I'm pretty, are not I?", lo cual no suena.



A mi no me suena nada de lo decís. Ain't por lo que veo es usado para reemplazar cualquier persona del verbo to be en el presente. Suele utilizarse en el sur de Estados Unidos pero es cierto que se puede escuchar en todos lados pues suele ser una forma muy coloquial de hablar en una lengua que de por si usa mucho la contracción.

Por ejemplo, en Harry Potter, leer a Hagrid es muy difícil por la cantidad de modismos y contracciones que Rowling le pone al personaje, pero los chavos también usan mucho las contracciones, como "i s'pose" el uso de till en vez de until, o you'd, i'd, etcétera...

Por otro lado, si tu dices "i'm pretty, are not i", según yo, está mal, porque si hablas de ti por qué dudas de otro?...o sea que es i'm pretty, am not i? o am i not. Pero es que hasta eso se oye raro y es como el were y el was.....


----------



## chamyto

Ain´t según el diccionaro Collins (edicion 1994) es la negación del verbo to be y to have en presente.


----------



## duncandhu

ishiba said:


> A mi no me suena nada de lo decís. Ain't por lo que veo es usado para reemplazar cualquier persona del verbo to be en el presente. Suele utilizarse en el sur de Estados Unidos pero es cierto que se puede escuchar en todos lados pues suele ser una forma muy coloquial de hablar en una lengua que de por si usa mucho la contracción.
> Sí, es cierto, se puede utilizar para cualquier persona, aunque no sé si era así hace tiempo, pero ha llegado a eso. De todas formas ya en Inglaterra se utiliza mucho "innit" (isn't it) para cualquier persona también en lenguaje (muy, pero muy) coloquial.
> 
> Por ejemplo, en Harry Potter, leer a Hagrid es muy difícil por la cantidad de modismos y contracciones que Rowling le pone al personaje, pero los chavos también usan mucho las contracciones, como "i s'pose" el uso de till en vez de until, o you'd, i'd, etcétera...
> Esto es un uso normal del idioma, es como todos hablamos, sólo que Rowling ha escrito el dialogo como se habla. También hay que tener en cuenta que Hagrid es un personaje bastante inculto (y su acento bastante difícil de entender si no lo conoces, usa el "were" en vez de "was" para tercera persona etc etc.
> 
> Por otro lado, si tu dices "i'm pretty, are not i", según yo, está mal, porque si hablas de ti por qué dudas de otro?...o sea que es i'm pretty, am not i? o am i not. Pero es que hasta eso se oye raro y es como el were y el was.....
> Hombre, si hablas de ti es perfectamente posible dudar de otro... (he entendido bien?) buscando confirmación, o "fishing for compliments". ¿No se podrá decir "Soy guapo/a, ¿no?"? De todas formas me suena mejor "am I not?" que sería lo correcto si lo vas a escribir por separado, pero "ain't" sería contracción de "am not I", y supongo por eso lo ha escrito así.


 
Bueno, espero haber aclarado algo.

Saludos a todos
Duncan


----------



## -ADSA-

Hola, quiero q alguien me diga si esta bien decir "ain't no", ya que he visto en muchas canciones el empleo de esta doble contracción por ejemplo en la canción de Cristina Aguilera "Ain't no other man", y si ven en una parte de la canción Thriller de Michael Jackson "There ain't no second chance against the thing...". Thanks in advance for helping me.


----------



## mylam

Se entiende, se usa entre amigos, pero no está correcto, y no se diría al jefe, por ejemplo.


----------



## -ADSA-

mylam said:


> Se entiende, se usa entre amigos, pero no está correcto, y no se diría al jefe, por ejemplo.


Gracias mylam, era lo que quería saber


----------



## donbill

El Estudiante said:


> Hola Alc, aquí están mis respuestas a tus preguntas:
> 
> Ain't sí que puede ir con cualquier persona. (I, you, he, we, you, they) ain't.
> Sólo se puede usar en el presente.
> Sí, sólo niega al verbo to be.
> 
> Saludos



Puede negar a otros verbos: Ain't doing nothing, Ain't working now, Ain't going to work tomorrow, Ain't trying to contradict, just explain. Aunque se entiende el verbo _to be_ como auxiliar en esos casos.


----------



## donbill

_*Ain't*_ se ha lexicalizado al punto de que muchos de nosotros (angloparlantes) no pensamos en la palabra como una contracción de '_am not_', etc. Se ha convertido simplemente en una forma de negación.

Sus usos son difíciles de explicar. "Ain't easy to explain how to use ain't. Ain't gonna tell you that you'll use ain't right even after years of practice. I ain't the one to do it!"

¡Gracias a todos por haberme hecho pensar en esa palabra tan útil!


----------



## pops91710

Ana Isabel said:


> Ehhh... la verdad es que, según lo que yo tengo entendido, eso no es cierto.
> Aren't = Are not
> Hasn't = Has not
> Haven't = Have not
> pero ain't = isn't = is not.
> 
> Se aceptan correcciones.
> Saludos,
> Ana.




Pero sí es cierto! *I ain't been to school in years*. I haven't been to school in years. Phil tiene razón.


----------



## duvija

te gato said:


> Hi Lulio;
> Welcome to the forum!!!
> 
> Ain't..is used in English..but it is not realy 'proper'...."He ain't got any money"
> te gato


 

En ese caso, sería 'he ain't got no money'.

Saludos


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## hvalenz

La expresion, Ain't,  No es correcta usarla,  es una  contaccion de unas frase completa, y esta se conoce como slang- o sea el ingles mal hablado y nada elegante,   como por ejemplo cuando alguno de nuestros congeneres de tropico habla recortando las palabras ( Ven paca...),. SLANG.
Otras contacciones muy aceptadas son las contracciones del verbo To Be. o sea:  He is not the same,  His not the saem  I am, I/m, You are, You'r  etc. 




-ADSA- said:


> Hola, quiero q alguien me diga si esta bien decir "ain't no", ya que he visto en muchas canciones el empleo de esta doble contracción por ejemplo en la canción de Cristina Aguilera "Ain't no other man", y si ven en una parte de la canción Thriller de Michael Jackson "There ain't no second chance against the thing...". Thanks in advance for helping me.


----------



## donbill

hvalenz said:


> La expresion, Ain't,  No es correcta usarla,  es una  contaccion de unas frase completa, y esta se conoce como slang- o sea el ingles mal hablado y nada elegante,   como por ejemplo cuando alguno de nuestros congeneres de tropico habla recortando las palabras ( Ven paca...),. SLANG.
> Otras contacciones muy aceptadas son las contracciones del verbo To Be. o sea:  He is not the same,  His not the saem  I am, I/m, You are, You'r  etc.



*Ain't* no es correcto en el lenguaje formal. Pero puede ser muy expresivo y a veces da cierto tono al mensaje. A propósito, las contracciones son _he's (he is)_, _I'm (I am)_, and _you're_ (you are).

un saludo


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## k-in-sc

Non-natives are advised never to say "ain't." It sounds even worse than when natives say it.


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## pops91710

hvalenz said:


> La expresion, Ain't,  No es correcta usarla,  es una  contaccion de unas frase completa, y esta se conoce como *slang-* o sea el ingles mal hablado y nada elegante,   como por ejemplo cuando alguno de nuestros congeneres de tropico habla recortando las palabras ( Ven paca...),. SLANG.
> Otras contacciones muy aceptadas son las contracciones del verbo To Be. o sea:  He is not the same,  His not the saem  I am, I/m, You are, You'r  etc.



Con todo respeto, *ain't* no es slang, es un vulgarismo segun el diccionario.


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## Buchichaun

Y en el caso de la canción de Cinderella, que dice:

"My heart's like a wheel 
And my head's just a stone 
I got my memories 
Ain't got no home " ¿Qué sentido tiene ain't?


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## Bark

En ese caso es "*I haven't *got no home". Pero vamos, a parte del "ain't" luego hace una doble negación diciendo "no home". Las canciones nunca han sido una buena referencia del lenguaje 

Un saludo,

Bark


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## aprendiendo argento

k-in-sc said:


> It sounds even worse than when natives say it.




 We can use _ain't_ when we want to be rude.


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## k-in-sc

It's not rude.


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## duvija

k-in-sc said:


> It's not rude.



As one of my advisors used to say: "I can use it after I show my credentials. If I say 'I teach morphosyntax', then I can use _ain't, _no doubt about it'


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## alanla

I posted this previously, but since this thread might be a good general reference for others to use later, here’s one more post to add.

Like someone said before, you better smile before you use it—not Standard English. 
You better be very familiar with it before you use it like a native speaker would on those rare occasions [see references]. 
If not, it just screams that you were possibly not the class valedictorian [_el primer alumno de su curso_]  or watched too many Old West movies and sends a chill up people’s spines.

*The reference links below show how it is used:*
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/is-aint-a-word.aspx  [excerpt from a grammar page—see below. 
As with many coinages, the rule here is one of context. In business, scholarly, and other formal writings, omit “ain’t,” unless it’s used in direct quotation, and never go around saying it in general conversation unless it's part of a joke or well-known saying. In dialogue or to convey a vernacular tone in prose, use it with discretion. Treat it like spicy mustard; don’t make a whole sandwich from it.


http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/1327/why-is-aint-not-listed-in-dictionaries  scroll to
Random House Unabridged on the web page—*part *of the explanation given below See the rest when you click the link above. Excellent expanation
*—Usage note* As a substitute for _am not_, _is not_, and _are not _in declarative sentences, _ain't _is more common in uneducated speech than in educated, but it occurs with some frequency in the informal speech… [see the rest of explanation by clicking link above]


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## donbill

I think 'aint' is a marvelous word! I don't use it often because I spend most of my time in academic circles, but there are times when it is exactly the right choice. I'm thinking now of the Bill Withers song, "Ain't no sunshine when she's gone." I can't imagine that song in its 'corrected version', "There is no sunshine when she's gone" or "There isn't any sunshine when she's gone." ¡Ay! 

If you're a non-native who'd like to hear 'ain't used in a completely natural context, it's a great song to listen to.


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## k-in-sc

If you are an educated person, you only use "ain't" deliberately, to achieve a particular effect. If you aren't an educated person, using "ain't" communicates that.


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## donbill

k-in-sc said:


> If you are an educated person, you only use "ain't" deliberately, to achieve a particular effect. If you aren't an educated person, using "ain't" communicates that.



Well stated. Your comment reduces this entire thread to its essence.


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## k-in-sc

Thanks. I think in general native speakers have more freedom to switch between registers than non-natives do.


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