Talk About This Weekend's Plans
Weekend planning combines near-future grammar with social and practical vocabulary. Explain one fixed activity, one possibility, and a period you deliberately leave free.
Learning objective
Describe a balanced set of weekend plans using ir a and useful time expressions.
A balanced weekend plan distinguishes a fixed activity, a possible activity, and time intentionally left free. Use ir a plus an infinitive for what you expect to do, then add time expressions so the listener can see how the pieces fit together.
Spanish commonly uses este sábado, el sábado por la mañana, por la tarde, and el domingo por la noche. A specific clock time takes a: La película va a empezar a las ocho. Avoid adding English-style prepositions where Spanish needs none; este fin de semana already means this weekend.
Connect plans instead of listing them. El sábado voy a limpiar la casa porque llegan visitas, y después vamos a cenar fuera gives a reason and an order. Words such as primero, después, pero, and así que make the account sound planned rather than assembled from isolated workbook sentences.
Mark uncertainty honestly. Quizá vayamos involves a later structure, so a beginner can say Quizá vamos a ir or A lo mejor vamos a ir in everyday conversation. Usage and preferences vary across regions; the important contrast is between a confirmed detail and a genuine possibility, not one universal phrase.
Leaving time free is also a plan. El domingo por la tarde no voy a hacer planes means you are deliberately not scheduling activities. This is useful because the answer shows how your time is balanced. Pair one obligation, one social activity, and one open period when someone asks ¿Qué vas a hacer este fin de semana?
Examples
El sábado por la mañana voy a hacer la compra y después voy a cocinar.
On Saturday morning, I’m going grocery shopping and then I’m going to cook.
The translation makes hacer la compra sound natural in English.
Por la noche vamos a ver una película en casa.
In the evening, we’re going to watch a film at home.
Vamos carries the group subject through one connected plan.
A lo mejor voy a caminar si no llueve.
I might go for a walk if it doesn’t rain.
A lo mejor keeps the activity possible rather than confirmed.
El domingo después de comer no voy a hacer nada.
After lunch on Sunday, I’m not going to do anything.
The negative plan reserves a specific period for rest.
Common mistake
- Instead of
- En este fin de semana voy a visitar a mis amigos y quizá definitivamente voy al mercado.
- Try
- Este fin de semana voy a visitar a mis amigos y quizá voy a ir al mercado.
Este fin de semana does not need en. The combination quizá definitivamente contradicts itself because one word marks possibility and the other certainty. Quizá voy a ir presents the market visit as possible, while the first ir a plan remains the more settled activity.
Practice
Try it yourself
Write three connected weekend sentences from these notes: Saturday 10:00 clean the flat (fixed); Saturday evening eat with friends (possible); Sunday afternoon no plans. Use ir a, one sequence word, and one uncertainty expression.