The Verbal Periphrasis Ir a + Infinitive
CONTENT
How can you say that you are going out this afternoon? The verbal periphrasis ir a + infinitive is used in Spanish to talk about the near future. In fact, this construction is more commonly used by speakers than the simple future, particularly in Latin America.
Native
Translation
Vamos a viajar el próximo sábado.
We will be traveling next Saturday.
How to Use the Verbal Periphrasis ir a + infinitivo
Rule 1. As mentioned above, the main use of this periphrasis is to talk about the near future. In the near future, you can refer to the same day, the same week, the same month, or even the following months. In the spoken language it is preferred over the simple future, as the latter may seem or sound more formal.
Native
Translation
Voy a comer esta tarde con Alejandra.
I am having lunch this afternoon with Alejandra.
Rule 2. Near future can also be used to make deductions from the circumstances given at the time of speaking.
Native
Translation
El cielo está nublado, va a llover. Llévate un paraguas.
The sky is cloudy, it is going to rain. Take an umbrella.
Forming the Near Future
Rule 3. The structure of near future in Spanish is very simple. To form it, you need the verb ir in the present tense, add the preposition a and a verb in the infinitive. Remember that verbs in the infinitive are those that are not yet conjugated.
- subject pronoun + ir in the present indicative + preposition a + verb in infinitive form
Remember that the verb ir is irregular. Below, you will find a table with its conjugation.
| Subject pronoun | Ir + a | Verb in infinitive | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | voy a | comer | I am going to eat |
| tú | vas a | bailar | You are going to dance |
| él, ella, usted | va a | hablar | He, she, it is going to talk |
| nosotros, nosotras | vamos a | aprender | We are going to learn |
| vosotros, vosotras | vais a | escribir | You are going to write |
| ellos, ellas ustedes | van a | correr | They/you are going to run |
Near Future Expressions
Rule 4. When talking about the future, you may want to use several time expressions, such as:
| hoy en la tarde/noche | today in the afternoon/evening |
| mañana | tomorrow |
| pasado mañana | the day after tomorrow |
| este fin de semana | this weekend |
| el próximo mes | next month |
| en (Junio) | in (June) |
Native
Translation
Vamos a acampar en Junio, ¡deberías venir con nosotras!
We're going camping in June, you should come with us!
Quiz
1/3
¿(tú) ____________ a salir en la noche?
0
correct answers.