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I've heard people using this slang betcha.

What is the difference between you betcha and I betcha?

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    "You betcha" is common in informal American English. Do you have an example of "I betcha", either spoken by a native speaker of English, or in American, Canadian, Australian, or British media?
    – Jasper
    May 2, 2018 at 16:43

4 Answers 4

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'You betcha' is someone insisting something, such as 'You betcha' in return to someone asking if another can perform a certain task.

ex: "Can you mow my lawn while I'm away?"
"You betcha!"

whereas 'I betcha' is typically someone using the term as it was originally intended, ie, betting.

ex: "I betcha can't beat me in soccer!"

Does this help?

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    +1 Although I think the emphasis on performing tasks is too narrow. Ultimately, "you betcha" is just an emphatic (and somewhat silly) way to say yes. Do you believe the world is round? You betcha! May 2, 2018 at 18:06
  • Your use of 'insist' here doesn't make any sense to me, @Valentine. I would say it could be somebody 'affirming' something. To insist means to demand, although not quite as strong.
    – dwilli
    May 2, 2018 at 18:43
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I betcha is colloquial for I bet you and You betcha is colloquial for You bet. In AmE.

I bet you and You bet.

For example:

  • I bet you (I betcha) can finish on time.
  • Do you think you can finish on time? You bet (You betcha).

Often, "you bet" is seen like this: You bet I can.

And the meaning, as an answer, means: Of course, I can.

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'You betcha' can be understood as a colloquial short form of 'you can bet on that', meaning it would be a safe bet to say yes. It's used as an affirmative answer to a question. 'Does that work?', 'Yes, you betcha!'

I think @Valentine has recognized correctly what 'I betcha' might mean.

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I don’t disagree with anyone else’s definition of “you betcha”, but I agree with everyone who seems confused by “I betcha”- I have never heard this before. I am not from Minnesota but in the U.S. “You betcha” sounds like something a Minnesotan would say, and this glossary of Minnesota terms confirms it: https://www.brownielocks.com/minnesotatalk.html

YOU BETCHA: A confident affirmation. Example: "Are you going to the hockey game dis weekend?" Answser: "You betcha I sure am."

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