Use Ir a to Talk About the Near Future
Near-future plans use a present form of ir, the preposition a, and an infinitive. Build the three-part pattern before adding when, where, or with whom.
Learning objective
Form near-future statements and questions with ir a plus an infinitive.
The near future is a structure for plans or expected actions that uses a present form of ir, the word a, and an infinitive. An infinitive is the unchanged verb form ending in -ar, -er, or -ir. Voy a cocinar therefore means I am going to cook.
Conjugate only ir: voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, or van. Keep the following action unchanged: use vamos a salir, not the incorrect vamos a salimos. In most of Latin America, van is also used with ustedes for plural you; vais belongs to the informal vosotros pattern used mainly in Spain.
The structure can carry useful details after the infinitive. Mañana voy a estudiar en la biblioteca con Lara identifies when, what, where, and with whom. Put no before the conjugated form for a negative plan: No vamos a conducir esta noche.
For a question, Spanish can keep the same core order and use intonation plus question marks: ¿Vas a trabajar mañana? Question words add a missing detail: ¿Cuándo van a llegar? or ¿Dónde vais a cenar? Choose the person form that suits the relationship, region, and level of formality.
Ir a often describes an intended or expected future, but context decides how firm it sounds. A calendar detail can make a plan definite, while creo que or quizá can reduce certainty. At this level, build the accurate three-part structure first and then add only the detail needed for a natural exchange.
Examples
Esta tarde voy a llamar a mi abuela.
I’m going to call my grandmother this afternoon.
Voy agrees with the speaker; llamar remains an infinitive.
¿Vais a visitar el museo el sábado?
Are you all going to visit the museum on Saturday?
Vais is the informal plural form associated mainly with Spain.
No vamos a comprar billetes hoy.
We aren’t going to buy tickets today.
No appears before vamos, not before the infinitive.
Mis vecinos van a cambiar de casa el mes que viene.
My neighbours are going to move next month.
Van agrees with the plural subject; cambiar stays as the infinitive.
Common mistake
- Instead of
- Mañana yo voy estudiar y mi amiga va a trabaja.
- Try
- Mañana voy a estudiar y mi amiga va a trabajar.
Both plans need the linking a, and both action verbs stay as complete infinitives. Estudiar and trabajar do not change to agree with their subjects because voy and va already do that work. The pronoun yo is possible for contrast, but it is unnecessary in this neutral account.
Practice
Try it yourself
Turn these notes into one question and one answer: tú / viajar / cuándo; yo / viajar / el viernes por la mañana. Use ir a in both sentences.