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Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn to express near future actions in Spanish using the formula "ir + a + infinitivo," with examples like "voy a viajar" (I am going to travel) and "va a celebrar" (he/she is going to celebrate). Practice conjugating "ir" with pronouns to talk about upcoming plans.
  1. The formula is: "ir + a" + infinitivo.
  2. Use this structure to talk about actions in the near future.
Pronombre (Pronoun)Fórmula (Formula)Ejemplo (Example)
YoVoy + a + infinitivoYo voy a viajar en octubre. (I am going to travel in October.)
TúVas + a + infinitivoTú vas a descansar en verano. (You are going to rest in summer.)
Él/Ella/UstedVa + a + infinitivoElla va a celebrar su cumpleaños en septiembre. (She is going to celebrate her birthday in September.)
Nosotros/NosotrasVamos + a + infinitivoNosotros vamos a disfrutar de la nieve en invierno. (We are going to enjoy the snow in winter.)
Vosotros/VosotrasVais + a + infinitivoVosotros vais a visitar Italia en otoño.  (You are going to visit Italy in autumn.)
Ellos/Ellas/UstedesVan + a + infinitivoEllas van a empezar una nueva rutina en enero. (They are going to start a new routine in January.)

Exercise 1: "Ir + a" + infinitivo

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

van, va, voy, vamos, vas, vais

1.
En verano nosotros ... a viajar.
(In summer we are going to travel.)
2.
El tiempo ... a cambiar en invierno.
(The weather is going to change in winter.)
3.
Yo ... a celebrar mi cumpleaños en enero.
(I am going to celebrate my birthday in January.)
4.
Vosotras ... a disfrutar del calor en julio.
(You all are going to enjoy the heat in July.)
5.
Tú ... a descansar en las vacaciones.
(You are going to rest during the vacation.)
6.
Ellos ... a celebrar la Navidad en familia.
(They are going to celebrate Christmas with their family.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Yo ___ a viajar en octubre para disfrutar del otoño.

(I ___ am going to travel in October to enjoy the autumn.)

2. Ellos ___ a cambiar de ropa en junio porque empieza el verano.

(They ___ are going to change clothes in June because summer starts.)

3. Nosotros ___ a preferir vacaciones en agosto, durante el verano.

(We ___ are going to prefer vacations in August, during the summer.)

4. Tú ___ a descansar en enero porque hace frío en invierno.

(You ___ are going to rest in January because it is cold in winter.)

5. Ella ___ a celebrar su cumpleaños en septiembre, en otoño.

(She ___ is going to celebrate her birthday in September, in autumn.)

6. Vosotros ___ a disfrutar de la primavera en abril y mayo.

(You all (informal) ___ are going to enjoy the spring in April and May.)

Understanding the Spanish Construction "Ir + a" + Infinitive

This lesson focuses on a fundamental Spanish grammar structure used to express near future actions: "ir + a" + infinitive. It's essential for beginners at the A1 level aiming to talk about plans or intentions in Spanish.

What This Lesson Covers

  • The conjugation of the verb ir (to go) in the present tense combined with a plus a verb in its infinitive form.
  • How to use this formula to talk about something you are going to do soon.
  • Relevant personal pronouns in combination with this structure for clear and natural communication.

Key Examples from the Lesson

Pronoun Formula Example
Yo Voy + a + infinitive Yo voy a viajar en octubre.
Tú Vas + a + infinitive Tú vas a descansar en verano.
Él/Ella/Usted Va + a + infinitive Ella va a celebrar su cumpleaños en septiembre.
Nosotros/Nosotras Vamos + a + infinitive Nosotros vamos a disfrutar de la nieve en invierno.
Vosotros/Vosotras Vais + a + infinitive Vosotros vais a visitar Italia en otoño.
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes Van + a + infinitive Ellas van a empezar una nueva rutina en enero.

How to Use This Structure

The formula to express a near future action is:

ir + a + infinitive

Use it when you want to talk about what someone is going to do, making this a very practical and frequently used construction in daily conversations.

Comparing Spanish "Ir + a" with English Future Expressions

In English, we often use the phrase "going to" plus the base form of the verb to express the near future (e.g., "I am going to travel"). Spanish mimics this with ir (to go) conjugated plus a plus the infinitive form of the verb (e.g., "Yo voy a viajar").

Unlike English, the verb ir changes according to the subject, and the preposition a stays the same.

Useful phrases include:

  • Voy a estudiar - I am going to study
  • Vas a trabajar - You are going to work
  • Vamos a salir - We are going to go out

This structure is often a quicker and more common way to speak about the future than using the simple future tense in Spanish, especially in informal conversations.

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