about to
'bout ta
/ˈbaʊɾə/ElisionReductionT sounds
In real speech
What happens to the sounds
The a- at the start disappears, to becomes /tə/, and the t between vowels can turn into a soft “d”: about to → “BOW-da”.
When to use it
For something that's going to happen any second: I'm about to leave. “Finna” is a very casual alternative.
Casual → formal
Slang
'bout ta / finna
Neutral
about to
Formal
on the verge of
Sound notes
Elision: a sound disappears completely (often t, v, h or th).