Mañana voy a visitar a mis abuelos.Tomorrow I'm going to visit my grandparents.

To talk about what you plan or intend to do, Spanish uses the verb ir (to go), the small word a, and an infinitive: ir + a + infinitive. It works much like English going to, and it is the everyday way to talk about plans, intentions and things that are about to happen. The plans can be for later today or for next year.

Quick shortcut: ir (voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van) + a + infinitive. Only ir changes with the subject; the verb after a stays in the infinitive: Voy a estudiar. · Vamos a comer. · Ellos van a viajar. For the negative, no goes before ir: No voy a trabajar mañana.

The pattern: ir + a + infinitive

You conjugate ir for the person the future action is about, then add a and the infinitive of the action. The forms of ir are in present tense: common irregular verbs:

Subject ir + a + infinitive Example
yo voy a + infinitive Voy a estudiar esta noche. (I'm going to study tonight.)
tú / vos vas a + infinitive ¿Vas a venir a la fiesta? (Are you going to come to the party?)
usted / él / ella va a + infinitive Ella va a cocinar. (She's going to cook.)
nosotros/as vamos a + infinitive Vamos a comer a las dos. (We're going to eat at two.)
vosotros/as vais a + infinitive Vosotros vais a llegar tarde. (You all are going to arrive late.)
ustedes / ellos / ellas van a + infinitive Ellos van a viajar en julio. (They're going to travel in July.)

This structure is useful for three common ideas:

  • A plan or intention: Voy a aprender español. (I'm going to learn Spanish.)
  • Something arranged for the future, near or further away: Mañana vamos a visitar el museo. (Tomorrow we're going to visit the museum.) · El año que viene voy a estudiar en Madrid. (Next year I'm going to study in Madrid.)
  • Something about to happen, judging by what you see now: Hay muchas nubes: va a llover. (There are lots of clouds: it's going to rain.)

Time expressions such as mañana, esta noche, el lunes, la próxima semana, pronto and luego often go with it. The plain present can also refer to a near future (Mañana llego a las ocho.), and ir a puts more weight on the plan or intention.

The verb after a stays in the infinitive

After a, the action is always an infinitive (-ar, -er or -ir): it does not change for person or number. Only ir carries the ending:

  • Voy a comprar pan. (I'm going to buy bread.)
  • Vas a leer el libro. (You are going to read the book.)
  • Van a salir temprano. (They are going to leave early.)

Negatives and questions

To make the negative, no goes before ir (see negation with no): No voy a trabajar mañana. · No vamos a comer aquí.

Questions follow the pattern in questions: intonation and word order: ¿Vas a estudiar hoy? · ¿Qué vas a hacer el sábado? (What are you going to do on Saturday?) · ¿Cuándo van a llegar? (When are they going to arrive?) For the question words, see question words.

Pronouns

An object or reflexive pronoun can go before ir or attach to the end of the infinitive. Both are correct and mean the same:

  • Me voy a levantar temprano. = Voy a levantarme temprano. (I'm going to get up early.)
  • Lo voy a comprar. = Voy a comprarlo. (I'm going to buy it.)

Ir a + a place, and vamos a + infinitive as a suggestion

The same ir a has two jobs. With a place, it means movement: Voy a la playa. · Voy al cine. With an infinitive, it looks ahead to a future action, such as a plan or an intention: Voy a nadar. · Voy a ver una película. The word after a shows which one it is: a place or an action.

vamos a + infinitive also makes a suggestion, like English let's: ¡Vamos a bailar! (Let's dance!) · Vamos a comer. (Let's eat, or We're going to eat.) The context tells you whether it is a suggestion or a plan.

Common mistakes

  • ❌ Voy a visito a mi abuela. → ✅ Voy a visitar a mi abuela. (after a, the verb stays in the infinitive)
  • ❌ Voy comprar pan. → ✅ Voy a comprar pan. (the a is needed between ir and the infinitive)
  • ❌ Ella van a cocinar. → ✅ Ella va a cocinar. (ir agrees with the subject)

Quick check

Which form completes each sentence?

  1. (yo) ___ a estudiar esta noche.
  2. Ellos ___ a viajar en julio.
  3. Mañana (nosotros) ___ a comer con mi familia.
  4. ¿Qué (tú) ___ a hacer el sábado?
  5. The negative of Voy a trabajar mañana:
  6. Which sentence is about movement and which looks ahead to a future action: Voy al cine or Voy a ver una película?
Show answers
  1. Voy a estudiar esta noche.   2. Ellos van a viajar en julio.   3. Mañana vamos a comer con mi familia.   4. ¿Qué vas a hacer el sábado?   5. No voy a trabajar mañana.   6. Voy al cine is movement (a place); Voy a ver una película looks ahead to a future action (an infinitive).

Key takeaways

  • ir + a + infinitive talks about plans, intentions and things about to happen: Voy a estudiar.
  • Only ir changes with the subject (voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van); the verb after a stays in the infinitive.
  • The negative is no + ir + a + infinitive: No voy a trabajar.
  • Pronouns go before ir or attach to the infinitive: Lo voy a comprar. = Voy a comprarlo.
  • With a place, ir a is movement (Voy al cine); with an infinitive, it looks ahead to a future action (Voy a ver una película).
  • vamos a + infinitive can also be a suggestion: ¡Vamos a bailar!