{"id":143427,"date":"2024-01-23T15:59:47","date_gmt":"2024-01-23T20:59:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/ir-a-infinitive\/"},"modified":"2025-02-25T21:44:20","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T02:44:20","slug":"ir-a-infinitive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/spanish\/ir-a-infinitive\/","title":{"rendered":"Using “Ir + A + Infinitive” for the Near Future in Spanish"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Spanish verb\u00a0ir<\/em> (to go) can be used to talk about moving through space and time into the immediate future, used in the formula ir + a + infinitive<\/em>. In the real world,\u00a0it could look something like this: Voy a<\/strong> comer<\/em> (I’m going to eat).<\/p>\n

Today, we’ll learn all about the ir + a + infinitive<\/em> structure, how and when to use it to talk about the near future and what makes it different from the simple future tense. This lesson from our YouTube channel<\/a> will also come in handy:<\/p>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

Note this post assumes you already have some knowledge of the Spanish present tense<\/a> and other basic vocabulary.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Ir + A + Infinitive:<\/em> The Near Future Tense<\/h2>\n

Ir + a + infinitive<\/em> is a handy formula you can use to talk about the near future in Spanish. It can be translated as “going to [verb].”<\/p>\n

This makes it an easy alternative to using the Spanish simple future tense, which requires special verb conjugations. Take these two sentences for example:<\/p>\n

Voy a nadar<\/strong> ma\u00f1ana. \u2014 <\/em>I’m going to swim tomorrow.<\/p>\n

Nadar\u00e9<\/strong> ma\u00f1ana. \u2014 <\/em>I will swim tomorrow.<\/p>\n

They mean the same thing, but are said in different ways.<\/p>\n

However, one difference is that ir + a + infinitive<\/em> can only be used to talk about actions that will happen in the near future.<\/strong> If you want to talk about things that will occur in the distant future<\/strong>, you’ll need to use the simple future tense.<\/p>\n

How to Use the Ir + A + Infinitive<\/em> Formula<\/h2>\n

Before you learn how to use\u00a0ir + a +infinitive<\/em>, you need to know how to conjugate the verb\u00a0ir<\/em> (to go) in the present tense.<\/p>\n

So, what are the conjugations of ir<\/em>?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
Pronoun<\/strong><\/th>Conjugation<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Yo<\/i><\/td> Voy<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
T\u00fa<\/i><\/td> Vas<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00c9l\/Ella\/Usted<\/i><\/td> Va<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Nosotros<\/i><\/td> Vamos<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vosotros<\/i><\/td> Vais<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ellos\/Ellas\/Ustedes<\/i><\/td> Van<\/i> <\/a>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

To use the formula, follow these three simple steps:<\/p>\n

1. Conjugate ir<\/em> into the correct present tense
\n2. Insert the preposition a<\/em> (to)
\n3. Attach the infinitive form of the verb at the end<\/p>\n

Infinitives are the unconjugated “base forms” of Spanish verbs in dictionaries that end in\u00a0-ar, -er\u00a0<\/em>or\u00a0-ir<\/em>, for example e<\/em>studiar<\/em> (to study), c<\/em>omer<\/em> (to eat) or escribir<\/i> (to write).<\/p>\n

Examples of Ir + A + Infinitive<\/em><\/h3>\n

When we plug the above steps into the ir + a + infinitive<\/em> formula, we can create sentences like these:<\/p>\n

Vamos a<\/strong> estudiar<\/em>. \u2014 We’re going to study.<\/p>\n

Voy a<\/strong> comer.<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 I’m going to eat.<\/p>\n

\u00bfVas a<\/strong> escribir?<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Are you going to write?<\/p>\n

Of course, we can also use this construction in sentences more than three words long.<\/p>\n

While word order in Spanish is notoriously flexible, ir<\/em> +\u00a0a +\u00a0<\/em>infinitive is a tightly bound trio that must never be separated.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Any additional words will come before or after, but never anywhere inside. For example:<\/p>\n

Ellos van a bailar<\/strong> tango<\/em>. \u2014 They’re going to dance tango.<\/p>\n

Voy a vivir<\/strong>\u00a0en N\u00e1poles<\/em>. \u2014 I’m going to live in Naples.<\/p>\n

\u00bfVas a tomar<\/strong> la siesta?<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Are you going to take\u00a0a nap?<\/p>\n

The same applies to object pronouns (e.g., lo, la, te, nos,\u00a0<\/em>etc.). They must never come anywhere inside our inviolable trio but rather be right before, after or attached to the infinitive. For example:<\/p>\n

Vamos a hacerlo<\/strong><\/em>. \u2014 We’re going to do it.<\/p>\n

Lo<\/strong> vamos a hacer<\/em>. \u2014 We’re going to do it.<\/p>\n

When to Use Ir + A + Infinitive<\/em><\/h2>\n

You can use the simple\u00a0ir + a + infinitive<\/em> formula in these situations:<\/p>\n