Future with ir + a in Spanish Grammar

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What does ir a mean in Spanish?

The structure ir + a + verb is known as the futuro próximo. It is common in spoken Spanish to express actions and intentions for the near future, similar to going to in English.

Example:
Hoy voy a cocinar para todos. = Tonight I’m going to cook for everyone.

The future with ir a is not actually a tense in Spanish, it’s a verbal periphrasis, but it often replaces the Spanish future simple tense.

Learn how to use the futuro próximo in Spanish with Lingolia, then test yourself in the exercises.

Example

¡Qué desastre de oficina! Ahora mismo voy a ordenar todos los clasificadores y las carpetas y le voy a pedir ayuda a mi compañero de trabajo.

Además, a partir del mes que viene voy a tener más trabajo que nunca, así que prometo que de ahora en adelante voy a ser más ordenado.

When to use the future with ir + a in Spanish grammar

The future with ir + a expresses the following:

  • plans or intentions for the near future.
Examples:
Ahora voy a ordenar los clasificadores y las carpetas.Now I’m going to organise the folders and files.
Le voy a pedir ayuda a mi compañero de trabajo.I’m going to ask my colleague for help.
  • logical conclusions based on the present situation or the circumstances at the moment of speaking.
Example:
Con tanto tráfico, vamos a llegar tarde.With all this traffic, we’re going to be late.

How to form the future with ir + a

To conjugate the future with ir + a , we use the present tense of the verb ir + the preposition a + the infinitive of the main verb. In this context, the verb ir has no meaning, it is just an auxiliary verb.

Person ir Infinitive
yo voy a

hablar

aprender

vivir
tú vas
el/ella/usted va
nosotros/-as vamos
vosotros/-as vais
ellos/ellas/ustedes van

Reflexive Verbs

When the infinitive is a reflexive verb, the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) can come at the very beginning or can be attached to the infinitive.

Example:
mudarsemove → yo me voy a mudar / voy a mudarme
tú te vas a mudar / vas a mudarte
él/ella se va a mudar / va a mudarse
nosotros/-as nos vamos a mudar / vamos a mudarnos
vosotros/-as os vais a mudar / vais a mudaros
ellos/-as se van a mudar / van a mudarse

ir + a in other Tenses

We can use the ir + a structure to express an intention in other tenses. For example:

  • an intention in the past using the imperfecto or indefinido
    Example:
    Yo iba a ver la tele, cuando hubo un corte de luz.I was going to watch television, but then there was a power failure.
  • an intention in the distant future using futuro simple or futuro compuesto
    Example:
    Yo iré a verte cuando vivas en Londres.I will visit you when you live in London.
  • a possible intention using the conditional
    Example:
    Yo iría a pasear al si no lloviese.I would go for a walk if it weren’t raining.
  • in a dependent clause that uses the subjunctive
    Example:
    No creo que vayamos a pasear al parque.I don’t think we’ll go walking in the park.