Kilo Lingo
Spanish grammar Part of Chapter 4

CEFR A1-A2

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Test yourself (16 questions)

Ir a + Infinitive in Spanish: Voy a, Vas a, Va a

By Michael McGettrick and Sergio Linares-HernandesUpdated 12 October 2026

a + infinitive is the everyday Spanish future, just like English going to:

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Spot the mistake

0/3

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

  • . - I'm going to eat.
  • ¿ ? - What are you going to do?

Ir a + infinitive: the formula

Three parts: in the present, then a, then the infinitive. Only changes.

the form of ir (it changes)What do the colours mean?
Ir
a
Infinitive
Personir + a+ infinitive
yo
, ,
,
  • . - You' going to go out tonight.
  • . - My parents are going to come.

The a is compulsory, and the main verb never changes from the infinitive: , never " " or " a ". Ir itself is irregular, so learn , , as a set.

is correct too, just like going to go:

  • Madrid. - I'm going to go to Madrid.

Negatives, questions and pronouns

No goes before . A question keeps the same order, with question marks and a rising voice:

  • . - I'm not going to go out.
  • ¿ ? - Are you going to come?

An object pronoun goes before or on the end of the infinitive. Both mean the same, and both are common:

Before irOn the infinitiveEnglish
. .I'm going to do it.
. .I'm going to call you.
. .I'm not going to do it.

Never put the pronoun between and a: " a " is wrong.

When to use it

a covers the two jobs English going to does. A plan you have made:

  • . - Tomorrow I'm going to work at home.

And something you can see coming:

  • . - It's going to rain.
Three calendar pages along a time arrow: on the left a grey page torn off the pad and lying tilted behind, showing a football and a tick (yesterday, done); in the middle the page on the pad, glowing yellow and showing an open book (today); on the right a dashed-outline page still to come, showing a bicycle (tomorrow).
  1. .
  2. .
  3. .

Yesterday I played football, today I'm reading. For tomorrow's plan, ir a: mañana voy a montar en bici, tomorrow I'm going to ride my bike.

+ infinitive can also mean let's. The context decides:

  • . - Let's see.
  • ¡ ! - Let's eat!

Ir a or the future tense?

Spanish also has a one-word future, , I will eat. In conversation a is the everyday choice; the future tense sounds firmer, more formal or more distant, and rules in writing and forecasts:

SpanishEnglishFeel
.I'm going to call you.everyday plan
.I'll call you.a firmer promise
.It will rain tomorrow.a forecast

The forms of the one-word future, and its twelve irregular stems, are on the Spanish future tense.

Mistakes English speakers make

WrongRightWhy
. .the a is compulsory
a . .the main verb is an infinitive
a . . agrees with the person
a . .the pronoun goes first or last
a . .the main verb is an infinitive

What to do next

  1. Say one plan for tomorrow aloud: a...
  2. Do the word-order drill below.
  3. Then the future tense for the one-word future, .

Practise: test yourself

Put the words in order

0/4

Put the words in order.

  1. I'm going to eat at home.

    Your sentence is empty.

  2. My parents are going to come.

    Your sentence is empty.

  3. We're not going to go out.

    Your sentence is empty.

  4. I'm going to do it.

    Your sentence is empty.

Spot the mistake

0/4

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

Pick the right one

0/5

Which form of ir?

  1. Yo a volver.

  2. ¿Tú a venir?

  3. Usted a ver.

  4. Nosotros a comer.

  5. Mis padres a salir.

Translation drill

0/3

Translate into English.

  1. Voy a comer.

  2. ¿Qué vas a hacer?

  3. Va a llover.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you form a + infinitive in Spanish?
Conjugate in the present (, , , , , van), add a, then the infinitive of the main verb: a , a , a . Only changes for the person. The a is compulsory: is wrong.
What is the difference between a and the future tense?
Both talk about the future. a ( a ) is the everyday choice for plans and for what is about to happen, much like going to. The future tense () sounds firmer or more formal, and is the norm in writing and forecasts. The future tense page has the forms.
Where does the pronoun go with a?
Either before or on the end of the infinitive, with the same meaning: a or a , I'm going to do it. Never between the two: a is wrong. A negative goes before everything: a .
Can you say a ?
Yes. a is perfectly correct and common: a a Madrid, I'm going to go to Madrid. is the helper and is also the main verb, just as English says going to go.
What does a mean on its own?
a + infinitive can mean we are going to, or let's: a is we' going to eat or let's eat, and the context decides. ¡! on its own is let's go, or come on.