The main rule
ir (voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van) + a + infinitive: Voy a comer. The a is always there, and the infinitive never changes; only ir takes the person. Use it for plans, intentions and what you can see is about to happen.
The forms
| Person | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | voy a comer | I'm going to eat |
| tú | vas a comer | you're going to eat |
| él, ella, usted | va a comer | he, she, you (formal) is/are going to eat |
| nosotros | vamos a comer | we're going to eat |
| vosotros (Spain) | vais a comer | you (plural) are going to eat |
| ellos, ellas, ustedes | van a comer | they, you (plural) are going to eat |
Negation and questions
No goes before ir: No voy a salir, No vamos a llegar tarde. A question is the same order with ¿ ?, and the question word comes first: ¿Vas a venir?, ¿Qué vas a hacer este fin de semana?, ¿Cuándo van a llegar?
| Question | Short answers |
|---|---|
| ¿Vas a venir mañana? | Sí, voy a venir. / No, no voy a venir. / Sí, voy. |
| ¿Van a cenar fuera? | Sí, vamos a cenar fuera. / No, vamos a cenar en casa. |
| ¿Qué vas a hacer esta tarde? | Voy a estudiar un poco. |
Ir a + place or ir a + infinitive?
You already know ir a + place: Voy a la playa, Voy al cine (a + el = al). The same two words also start the plan: Voy a nadar. What follows tells you which one it is: a noun with an article means a place, a verb in the infinitive means a plan. You can put both together: Voy a ir al cine ("I'm going to go to the cinema"), where the first a belongs to the plan and the second to the place.
| Spanish | What follows a | English |
|---|---|---|
| Voy a la playa. | a place | I'm going to the beach. |
| Voy a nadar. | an infinitive | I'm going to swim. |
| Voy a ir al cine. | an infinitive, then a place | I'm going to go to the cinema. |
Al (a + el) goes before a masculine singular noun: Voy al cine. In ir a + infinitive there is no article before the verb, so it is never *Voy al nadar: Voy a nadar.
What is different from English
"Going to" maps almost word for word, with one catch: the Spanish a has no visible partner in "I'm going to eat", so learners drop it. Say Voy a comer, never *Voy comer. After the a comes the infinitive, not a conjugated form: Voy a comer, not *Voy a como.
English also uses "I'm going to the cinema" (place) and "I'm going to watch" (plan) with the same words, and so does Spanish: the verb is always ir. The big difference is the English present continuous for the future. "I'm working tomorrow" is not *Estoy trabajando mañana in Spanish. The usual ways are Mañana trabajo and Mañana voy a trabajar.
Uses
First, plans and intentions: what you have decided to do. Este verano voy a viajar a Perú. No voy a comer más dulces. Second, a prediction based on what you see or know now: Mira esas nubes: va a llover. Cuidado, el vaso se va a caer.
The present for a fixed future
Spanish often uses the plain present for a future that is already arranged: timetables, appointments and settled plans. El tren sale a las ocho. La clase empieza a las nueve. Mañana trabajo. For a plan, the present and ir a + infinitive are usually both fine: Mañana trabajo and Mañana voy a trabajar say the same thing. A prediction, such as the clouds, takes ir a.
Time markers
Plans come with markers such as mañana, esta tarde, esta noche, este fin de semana, el próximo lunes (or el lunes que viene), la semana que viene and el año que viene. Spanish also has a simple future (iré, comeré), which you learn at B1; for plans in everyday speech, ir a + infinitive is what people usually say.
Examples
- Esta noche voy a cenar con mis padres. Tonight I'm having dinner with my parents.
- Mañana no vamos a trabajar. We're not working tomorrow.
- ¿Qué vas a hacer el sábado? What are you doing on Saturday?
- El próximo lunes voy a empezar un curso de inglés. Next Monday I'm starting an English course.
- Mira esas nubes: va a llover. Look at those clouds: it's going to rain.
- Cuidado, te vas a caer. Careful, you're going to fall.
- El año que viene van a vivir en Valencia. Next year they're going to live in Valencia.
- El tren sale a las ocho. The train leaves at eight.
- Esta tarde voy a ir al médico. This afternoon I'm going to the doctor's.
- Ayer fui a la playa; mañana voy a ir a la montaña. Yesterday I went to the beach; tomorrow I'm going to the mountains.
Two small notes
Vamos a + infinitive can mean "let's": ¡Vamos a comer! is "Let's eat!" as well as "We're going to eat"; the situation decides. With reflexive verbs the pronoun can go before ir or on the infinitive, and both are correct: Me voy a duchar / Voy a ducharme.
Common mistakes
Voy comer una pizza.Voy a comer una pizza. the a is obligatoryVoy a como una pizza.Voy a comer una pizza. the infinitive never changesEstoy trabajando mañana.Mañana trabajo. / Mañana voy a trabajar. no present continuous for the futureVoy al nadar.Voy a nadar. no article before the infinitive¿Vas a vienes con nosotros?¿Vas a venir con nosotros? only ir is conjugatedVoy a ir a el cine.Voy a ir al cine. a + el = alEstoy yendo a comprar pan mañana.Mañana voy a comprar pan. use voy a, not a progressive of ir
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "going to" in Spanish?
With ir + a + infinitive: voy a comer, vas a venir, vamos a salir. Ir changes with the person, and the infinitive after a stays the same.
Do I need the "a" in ir a + infinitive?
Yes. Voy a estudiar is correct; *Voy estudiar is not Spanish. The a always links ir to the infinitive, in every person.
What is the difference between voy a la playa and voy a nadar?
After a + article + noun, ir means going to a place (voy a la playa). After a + infinitive it means a plan (voy a nadar). Both can appear together: voy a ir a la playa.
Can I use the present to talk about the future in Spanish?
Yes, for timetables and arranged plans: El tren sale a las ocho, Mañana trabajo. For plans, the present and ir a + infinitive usually both work.
How do you ask what someone is going to do?
¿Qué vas a hacer? with a marker if you like: ¿Qué vas a hacer este fin de semana? Use ¿Qué va a hacer? for usted.
Does vamos a mean "let's"?
It can: ¡Vamos a comer! means "Let's eat!" Context shows whether it is an invitation or a plan like Vamos a comer en casa.