A1 · Verbs
Ir a + infinitivo
Spanish has a proper future tense, but in speech people mostly reach for ir a plus an infinitive, exactly as English reaches for going to. It is three pieces, it never changes shape, and it lets a beginner talk about tomorrow from the first week. Learn this first; the future tense can wait until B1.
The pattern
| ir a + infinitivo | |
|---|---|
| yo | voy a leer |
| tú | vas a leer |
| él / ella | va a leer |
| nosotros | vamos a leer |
| ellos | van a leer |
In use
- Mañana voy a estudiar.Tomorrow I am going to study.
- ¿Qué vas a hacer el domingo?What are you going to do on Sunday?
- Vamos a comer donde mi abuela.We are going to eat at my grandmother's.
Ir a against the future tense
Both point forward. Ir a feels closer, more planned, more spoken; the future tense feels further off, more formal, and is often used for predictions or promises. In everyday conversation ir a wins by a wide margin.
- Voy a llamarte esta noche.I am going to call you tonight. · a plan
- Te llamaré cuando pueda.I will call you when I can. · a promise
Vamos a also means let us
The same shape does double duty: with nosotros it is both a plan and a suggestion, and context tells them apart.
- Vamos a comer donde mi abuela.We are going to eat at my grandmother's.
- Vamos a empezar.Let's begin.
In the past
Put ir into the imperfecto and you get was going to — a plan that did not happen, which is one of the most useful things to be able to say.
- Iba a llamarte, pero se me hizo tarde.I was going to call you, but I ran late.
Mistakes to avoid
Voy a estudio mañana.
Voy a estudiar mañana.
What follows a is always an infinitive.
Voy ir al mercado.
Voy a ir al mercado.
The a stays even when the second verb is ir itself.
Vamos a la playa mañana, ¿vamos?
Vamos a ir a la playa mañana.
Vamos a la playa alone is already a plan; adding ir makes the future explicit.
Try it
Mañana ___ a visitar a mi abuela.
¿Qué ___ hacer el sábado?
El domingo ___ a visitar a mis abuelos.
___ a empezar la reunión.
___ a llamarte, pero se me hizo tarde.