Ir (to go) in Spanish

Overview

The verb ir (to go) is one of the most frequently used verbs in Spanish and also one of the most irregular. At the A1 level, you will need it for talking about where you are going, making plans, and expressing the near future. Its forms bear no resemblance to the infinitive, so you need to memorize them, but the good news is that you will use ir so often it becomes second nature quickly.

Beyond simple movement, ir is the key ingredient in one of the most useful constructions in Spanish: ir a + infinitive, which expresses the near future. This structure lets you talk about plans and intentions without learning a whole new tense, making it incredibly valuable at the beginner level.

How It Works

Present tense conjugation

Subject	Form	Example
yo	voy	Voy al trabajo. (I go to work.)
tú	vas	¿Adónde vas? (Where are you going?)
él / ella / usted	va	Va al supermercado. (He/She goes to the supermarket.)
nosotros/as	vamos	Vamos a la playa. (We're going to the beach.)
vosotros/as	vais	¿Vais al cine? (Are you all going to the cinema?)
ellos / ellas / ustedes	van	Van a casa. (They're going home.)

Ir + a + destination

When expressing where you are going, ir is followed by the preposition a:

• Voy a la tienda. (I'm going to the store.)
• Vamos a Madrid. (We're going to Madrid.)

Remember the mandatory contraction: a + el = al

• Voy al parque. (I'm going to the park.)

Ir a + infinitive (near future)

This construction expresses plans, intentions, or things about to happen:

Spanish	English
Voy a comer.	I'm going to eat.
Vas a estudiar.	You're going to study.
Vamos a viajar.	We're going to travel.
Van a llegar tarde.	They're going to arrive late.

This is the most common way to express the future in everyday spoken Spanish, especially at the A1-A2 level.

Vamos as "let's"

Vamos can also function as an invitation or suggestion, meaning "let's go" or "let's":

• ¡Vamos! (Let's go!)
• ¡Vamos a bailar! (Let's dance!)

Examples in Context

Spanish	English	Note
Voy al trabajo.	I go to work.	Contraction al
¿Adónde vas?	Where are you going?	Question with adónde
Vamos a la playa.	We're going to the beach.	Destination
Voy a comer.	I'm going to eat.	Near future
Van al cine esta noche.	They're going to the cinema tonight.	Plan
¿Vas a estudiar hoy?	Are you going to study today?	Near future question
No voy a ir.	I'm not going to go.	Negation
Vamos a empezar.	Let's begin.	Suggestion
Va a llover.	It's going to rain.	Prediction
¿Vais a venir a la fiesta?	Are you all coming to the party?	Vosotros form

Common Mistakes

Forgetting the preposition "a"

• Wrong: Voy la tienda.
• Right: Voy a la tienda.
• Why: Ir requires the preposition a before a destination. Without it, the sentence is grammatically incomplete.

Forgetting the contraction "al"

• Wrong: Voy a el parque.
• Right: Voy al parque.
• Why: A + el always contracts to al. This is mandatory, not optional.

Confusing ir with other verbs

• Wrong: Yo vo al trabajo.
• Right: Yo voy al trabajo.
• Why: The first person of ir is voy, not vo. All forms of ir in the present tense start with v-.

Doubling "ir" awkwardly

• Wrong: Avoiding Voy a ir because it sounds repetitive
• Right: Voy a ir a la fiesta. is perfectly correct
• Why: Ir a + infinitive can include ir as the infinitive. It sounds fine to native speakers.

Practice Tips

• Narrate your movements. As you go places, say where: Voy a la cocina, voy al baño, voy al trabajo. This makes the verb and preposition automatic.
• Make plans with ir a + infinitive. Each morning, list three things you are going to do: Voy a desayunar, voy a trabajar, voy a cocinar.
• Practice vamos as "let's." Suggest activities to friends or in your imagination: ¡Vamos a comer! ¡Vamos al parque! ¡Vamos a ver una película!

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Regular -AR Verbs
• Next steps: Near Future (ir a + inf)