ir a
Lemma Details
Translation: to go to; to be going to; to be about to
Part of Speech: verbal phrase
Etymology: The phrase 'ir a' combines the Spanish verb 'ir' (to go), which comes from Latin 'ire', with the preposition 'a' (to), from Latin 'ad'. While 'ir' by itself means 'to go', when combined with 'a' and followed by an infinitive verb, it forms a grammatical construction used to express future intentions or actions that are about to happen, similar to the English 'going to' future tense.
Commonality: 95%
Guessability: 80%
Register: neutral
Mnemonics
- Think of 'ir a' as literally 'going to' do something, just like in English.
- Remember that 'voy a estudiar' (I'm going to study) is structurally similar to the English 'I'm going to study'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
This construction is extremely common in Spanish and is often used instead of the simple future tense in everyday speech. In many Latin American countries, the 'ir a + infinitive' construction is more frequently used than the simple future tense for expressing future actions.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Ir' alone means 'to go' in the sense of movement, while 'ir a' followed by an infinitive expresses future intention or imminent action.
Confused word:
Voy a la escuela todos los días.
I go to school every day.
Notes: The conjugated forms of 'ir' are the same in both constructions (voy, vas, va, etc.), but the meaning changes depending on what follows.
Mnemonic: If there's an infinitive verb after 'a', it's about future plans; if there's a place after 'a', it's about physical movement.
Explanation: The 'ir a + infinitive' construction (periphrastic future) often expresses more immediate or planned future actions, while the simple future tense (futuro simple) can express more distant or uncertain future events.
Confused word:
Te llamaré mañana.
I will call you tomorrow.
Notes: In many Spanish-speaking regions, especially in Latin America, 'ir a + infinitive' is more common in everyday speech than the simple future tense.
Mnemonic: Think of 'ir a' as 'going to' (planned) and simple future as 'will' (more general future).