- Express immediate plans - Say what you're going to do today/tomorrow
- Ask about others' plans - "¿Qué vas a hacer?" (What are you going to do?)
- Make simple predictions - "Va a llover" (It's going to rain)
- Talk about weekend plans - Essential for social interaction
- Express intentions - "Voy a estudiar español" (I'm going to study Spanish)
← Back to Grammar
Immediate Future (ir + a + infinitive)
What You'll Learn
Overview / Usage
The immediate future is the easiest way to talk about future plans in Spanish! Instead of learning new conjugations, you just use ir + a + infinitive. It's like saying "I'm going to..." in English.
🎯 The Magic Formula
IR (conjugated) + A + INFINITIVE
Voy a comer = I'm going to eat
This structure lets you talk about what's about to happen or what you plan to do without learning the complex future tense. Perfect for beginners!
Structure & Formation
📝 Part 1: The Formula - It's That Simple!
Present Tense of IR (to go)
| yo voy | I go / I'm going |
| tú vas | you go / you're going |
| él / ella / usted va | he/she/you(formal) goes |
| nosotros vamos | we go / we're going |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes van | they/you(plural) go |
⚠️ Remember the AL contraction!
When "a" meets "el", they become AL:
✅ Voy al parque (I'm going to the park)
✅ Voy a la escuela (I'm going to school) - no contraction with "la"
✅ Voy al parque (I'm going to the park)
✅ Voy a la escuela (I'm going to school) - no contraction with "la"
Building the Immediate Future
Step by Step
1. Conjugate IR: voy
2. Add A: voy a
3. Add INFINITIVE: voy a comer
2. Add A: voy a
3. Add INFINITIVE: voy a comer
= I'm going to eat
More Examples
Vas a estudiar
You're going to study
Vamos a trabajar
We're going to work
⏰ Part 2: When? Time Expressions
Immediate Time Frames
Today & Now
Ahora voy a comer
Now I'm going to eat
Hoy voy a descansar
Today I'm going to rest
Later Today
Esta tarde voy a estudiar
This afternoon I'm going to study
Esta noche voy a cocinar
Tonight I'm going to cook
Tomorrow & Weekend
Mañana voy a trabajar
Tomorrow I'm going to work
El sábado vamos a salir
Saturday we're going out
💡 Pro Tip: Use "después" (after/later) when you're not sure of the exact time:
Después voy a llamar a mi madre = Later I'm going to call my mother
🎬 Part 3: Daily Activities Vocabulary
Essential Verbs for Daily Plans
🍽️ Food & Drink
comer - to eat
Voy a comer pizza
beber - to drink
Voy a beber agua
cocinar - to cook
Voy a cocinar pasta
comprar - to buy
Voy a comprar pan
💼 Work & Study
trabajar - to work
Voy a trabajar mañana
estudiar - to study
Voy a estudiar español
leer - to read
Voy a leer un libro
escribir - to write
Voy a escribir un email
😴 Rest & Leisure
descansar - to rest
Voy a descansar un poco
dormir - to sleep
Voy a dormir temprano
ver - to watch/see
Voy a ver la televisión
escuchar - to listen
Voy a escuchar música
👥 Social
llamar - to call
Voy a llamar a mi madre
visitar - to visit
Voy a visitar a mis amigos
hablar - to talk/speak
Voy a hablar con el profesor
salir - to go out
Voy a salir con amigos
❓ Part 4: Asking About Plans
Essential Questions for Daily Conversation
¿Qué vas a hacer?
What are you going to do?
¿Cuándo vas a venir?
When are you going to come?
¿Dónde vas a comer?
Where are you going to eat?
¿A qué hora vas a llegar?
What time are you going to arrive?
¿Con quién vas a ir?
Who are you going with?
💡 Remember: Question words go at the beginning:
¿Qué + vas a + infinitive?
¿Cuándo + vas a + infinitive?
¿Dónde + vas a + infinitive?
¿Cuándo + vas a + infinitive?
¿Dónde + vas a + infinitive?
Examples
💬 Real Conversations
Making Weekend Plans
A: ¿Qué vas a hacer este fin de semana?
What are you going to do this weekend?
B: El sábado voy a visitar a mis padres.
Saturday I'm going to visit my parents.
A: ¿Y el domingo?
And Sunday?
B: Voy a descansar. Voy a ver películas en casa.
I'm going to rest. I'm going to watch movies at home.
Daily Routine Tomorrow
Primero voy a desayunar
First I'm going to have breakfast
Después voy a ducharme
Then I'm going to shower
Luego voy a trabajar
Then I'm going to work
Por la noche voy a cenar con amigos
In the evening I'm going to have dinner with friends
🌦️ Making Predictions
Va a llover
It's going to rain
Va a hacer frío
It's going to be cold
Todo va a estar bien
Everything is going to be fine
Gotchas / Common Mistakes
⚠️ Common Immediate Future Mistakes
❌ Forgetting the 'a'
❌ Wrong: Voy comer / Vas estudiar
✅ Right: Voy A comer / Vas A estudiar
Always include 'a' between ir and the infinitive!
❌ Using conjugated verb instead of infinitive
❌ Wrong: Voy a como / Vas a estudias
✅ Right: Voy a COMER / Vas a ESTUDIAR
After 'a', use the infinitive form (-ar, -er, -ir)
❌ Wrong word order in questions
❌ Wrong: ¿Vas qué a hacer? / ¿Vas a hacer qué?
✅ Right: ¿QUÉ vas a hacer?
Question word always goes first
❌ Mixing with present progressive
❌ Wrong: Voy a comiendo / Estoy yendo a comer
✅ Right: Voy a comer (future) OR Estoy comiendo (now)
Don't mix the two structures - choose one!
❌ Forgetting the AL contraction
❌ Wrong: Voy a el cine / Voy a el parque
✅ Right: Voy AL cine / Voy AL parque
a + el = al (always!)
Quick Test / Mini Quiz
📝 Test Your Immediate Future Skills
Can you talk about your plans using ir + a + infinitive?
1
Complete: 'Mañana ___ a estudiar español'
2
Fix the mistake: 'Ella va comer pizza'
3
Translate: 'We're going to rest'
4
What's the question word? '___ vas a hacer?'
5
Choose the correct form: 'I'm going to the park'
6
Complete: 'Esta noche ___ a dormir temprano'
7
Which verb should be in infinitive form?
8
Translate: 'What time are you going to arrive?'
Useful Resources
Coming soon...