Going To (Ir + a + Infinitive)
Voy a comer, vas a estudiar: the most common way to express future plans in everyday Spanish.
A lesson of Spanish A2 — Elementary, in Future & Plans, about 10 minutes.
Going To: Ir + a + Infinitive (El Futuro Próximo)
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use ir + a + infinitive to talk about plans, intentions, and near-future events in Spanish — the most common way to express the future in everyday speech.
The Structure
ir (conjugated) + a + infinitive
This is the Spanish equivalent of English "going to" — it expresses intention, plan, or a future event that feels certain or imminent.
| Person | ir (present) | Structure |
|---|---|---|
| yo | voy | voy a + infinitive |
| tú | vas | vas a + infinitive |
| él/ella/Ud. | va | va a + infinitive |
| nosotros | vamos | vamos a + infinitive |
| vosotros | vais | vais a + infinitive |
| ellos/Uds. | van | van a + infinitive |
The infinitive never changes — only ir is conjugated.
Examples Across Persons
- Voy a estudiar esta tarde. — I'm going to study this afternoon.
- Vas a llegar tarde. — You're going to arrive late.
- Ella va a cocinar paella. — She's going to cook paella.
- Vamos a salir a las ocho. — We're going to leave at eight.
- ¿Vais a venir mañana? — Are you (all) going to come tomorrow?
- Van a necesitar más tiempo. — They're going to need more time.
Negation
Place no before ir:
- No voy a comer más. — I'm not going to eat any more.
- Ella no va a llamar hoy. — She's not going to call today.
- No vamos a poder ir. — We're not going to be able to go.
Questions
Invert the pronoun or use a question word:
- ¿Qué vas a hacer este fin de semana? — What are you going to do this weekend?
- ¿Cuándo van a llegar? — When are they going to arrive?