Spanish Near Future: Ir a + Infinitive
Learn how to talk about plans, intentions and near future actions in Spanish with ir a + infinitive. This guide explains forms such as voy a estudiar, vas a comer, va a llover, vamos a viajar and van a aprender, with examples, pronoun position and the difference between the near future and the simple future tense.
Why the Spanish near future matters
The near future is one of the most useful future structures in everyday Spanish. It is often more conversational than the simple future tense when you talk about plans and intentions: voy a estudiar, vamos a salir, van a venir. Learners can use it early because it only requires the present tense of ir and an infinitive.
How to use this page
Use this page after learning the present tense of ir and basic infinitives. The structure is simple, but it is important to place a correctly and to keep the second verb in the infinitive.
Use voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van.
The structure always includes a: voy a, vas a, vamos a.
Keep the second verb unconjugated: voy a estudiar, vamos a comer, van a viajar.
The core structure: ir a + infinitive
Present tense of ir
The first verb is ir in the present tense.
voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van
The preposition a
The word a is required between ir and the infinitive.
Voy a estudiar.
I am going to study.
Infinitive
The second verb stays in the infinitive form.
Vamos a comer.
We are going to eat.
Spanish near future forms
| Subject | Ir form | Near future with estudiar | English meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | voy | voy a estudiar | I am going to study. |
| tú | vas | vas a estudiar | You are going to study. |
| él / ella / usted | va | va a estudiar | He/she/you formal is going to study. |
| nosotros / nosotras | vamos | vamos a estudiar | We are going to study. |
| vosotros / vosotras | vais | vais a estudiar | You all are going to study. |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | van | van a estudiar | They / you all are going to study. |
Regular examples with -ar, -er and -ir verbs
The second verb does not change. It stays in the infinitive, whether it ends in -ar, -er or -ir.
| Infinitive | Near future | Example sentence | English meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| hablar | voy a hablar | Voy a hablar con Ana. | I am going to speak with Ana. |
| comer | vas a comer | Vas a comer más tarde. | You are going to eat later. |
| vivir | vamos a vivir | Vamos a vivir en México. | We are going to live in Mexico. |
| aprender | van a aprender | Van a aprender español. | They are going to learn Spanish. |
Main uses of the Spanish near future
The near future is used for plans, intentions, immediate actions, predictions based on the present and spoken future reference.
| Use | Spanish example | English meaning | Grammar logic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan | Voy a estudiar esta noche. | I am going to study tonight. | The speaker has a plan. |
| Intention | Vamos a comprar los billetes. | We are going to buy the tickets. | The action is intended. |
| Immediate future | Voy a llamar ahora. | I am going to call now. | The action is very close. |
| Prediction from evidence | Va a llover. | It is going to rain. | The speaker sees signs or expects it soon. |
| Spoken future | ¿Qué vas a hacer mañana? | What are you going to do tomorrow? | Common everyday way to ask about future plans. |
Near future vs simple future tense
Spanish has two common ways to talk about the future: ir a + infinitive and the simple future tense. The near future often feels more conversational for plans and intentions. The simple future is common for predictions, promises, formal statements and conjecture.
| Meaning | Near future | Simple future | Use contrast |
|---|---|---|---|
| I am going to study / I will study | Voy a estudiar. | Estudiaré. | Plan or intention vs more formal/simple future statement. |
| We are going to travel / We will travel | Vamos a viajar. | Viajaremos. | Conversational plan vs formal or neutral future. |
| It is going to rain / It will rain | Va a llover. | Lloverá. | Immediate expectation vs prediction. |
| I am going to call you / I will call you | Te voy a llamar. | Te llamaré. | Plan/intention vs promise or commitment. |
Detail page: Spanish Future Tense.
Near future vs ir as a movement verb
The verb ir can mean “to go” physically, but in the near future structure it works as a future marker. The difference depends on whether another infinitive follows.
| Use | Spanish example | English meaning | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Movement | Voy a Madrid. | I am going to Madrid. | a Madrid is a destination. |
| Near future | Voy a estudiar. | I am going to study. | estudiar is an infinitive action. |
| Movement | Vamos al cine. | We are going to the cinema. | al cine is a destination. |
| Near future | Vamos a ver una película. | We are going to watch a film. | ver is the planned action. |
Common time markers with the near future
The near future often appears with time expressions that show a planned or upcoming action.
| Time marker | Spanish example | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ahora | Voy a llamar ahora. | I am going to call now. |
| esta noche | Vamos a cenar esta noche. | We are going to have dinner tonight. |
| mañana | Vas a trabajar mañana. | You are going to work tomorrow. |
| el fin de semana | Van a viajar el fin de semana. | They are going to travel at the weekend. |
| la próxima semana | Voy a empezar la próxima semana. | I am going to start next week. |
Pronoun position with the near future
With ir a + infinitive, object and reflexive pronouns can usually go before the conjugated form of ir or attach to the infinitive.
| Meaning | Pronoun before ir | Pronoun attached to infinitive | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| I am going to do it. | Lo voy a hacer. | Voy a hacerlo. | Both are common. |
| We are going to buy it. | Lo vamos a comprar. | Vamos a comprarlo. | Both positions are possible. |
| She is going to call me. | Me va a llamar. | Va a llamarme. | The meaning is the same. |
| I am going to get up. | Me voy a levantar. | Voy a levantarme. | Reflexive pronoun can move. |
Related page: Spanish Pronoun Position.
Negation with the near future
To make the near future negative, place no before the conjugated form of ir.
| Affirmative | Negative | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Voy a salir. | No voy a salir. | I am not going to go out. |
| Vas a comer. | No vas a comer. | You are not going to eat. |
| Vamos a viajar. | No vamos a viajar. | We are not going to travel. |
| Lo voy a hacer. | No lo voy a hacer. | I am not going to do it. |
Practice exercises: Spanish near future
Try to answer before opening the solutions. These exercises focus on ir a + infinitive, pronoun position and the contrast with the simple future.
Exercise 1: form the near future
- yo / estudiar
- tú / comer
- ella / viajar
- nosotros / aprender
Show answers
1. voy a estudiar
2. vas a comer
3. va a viajar
4. vamos a aprender
Exercise 2: add negation
- Voy a salir.
- Vas a trabajar.
- Vamos a comprarlo.
- Me voy a levantar temprano.
Show answers
1. No voy a salir.
2. No vas a trabajar.
3. No vamos a comprarlo. / No lo vamos a comprar.
4. No me voy a levantar temprano. / No voy a levantarme temprano.
Exercise 3: choose the natural meaning
- Voy a estudiar esta noche.
- Va a llover.
- Lo voy a hacer mañana.
- Estudiaré más.
Show answers
1. I am going to study tonight.
2. It is going to rain.
3. I am going to do it tomorrow.
4. I will study more.
When to use the Spanish near future
Use it for planned actions
The near future is very common when the speaker already has a plan.
Voy a estudiar mañana.
Use it for what someone intends to do
It expresses a future action that someone is preparing or intending.
Vamos a comprar los billetes.
Use it for actions about to happen
It often refers to something very close in time.
Voy a salir ahora.
Related grammar topics
Future Tense
Compare voy a estudiar with estudiaré.
Future Perfect
Learn habré hablado, habrás comido and habremos terminado.
Infinitive
The near future always uses an infinitive after ir a.
Pronoun Position
Practise lo voy a hacer and voy a hacerlo.
Spanish Tenses
Place the near future inside the wider Spanish tense system.
Spanish Verbs
Review infinitives, conjugation and verb structures before building future forms.
Typical mistakes with the Spanish near future
- Forgetting a: say voy a estudiar, not voy estudiar.
- Conjugating the second verb: say voy a comer, not voy a como.
- Confusing movement with future meaning: voy a Madrid means physical movement; voy a estudiar is a future structure.
- Using the simple future when near future sounds more natural: for everyday plans, voy a estudiar is often more conversational than estudiaré.
- Putting no in the wrong place: say no voy a salir, not voy no a salir.
- Forgetting pronoun options: both lo voy a hacer and voy a hacerlo are possible.
Where to go next
After the near future, continue with the simple future tense, the infinitive and pronoun position. These pages explain the difference between voy a estudiar, estudiaré and structures such as lo voy a hacer / voy a hacerlo.
Want personal guidance?
If the Spanish near future feels confusing, individual guidance can help you practise voy a estudiar, vas a comer, vamos a viajar, van a aprender, pronoun position, negation and the difference between ir a + infinitive and the simple future tense.
FAQ: Spanish near future
What is the Spanish near future?
The Spanish near future is a future structure formed with ir a + infinitive, such as voy a estudiar, vas a comer and vamos a viajar.
How do you form the near future in Spanish?
Use the present tense of ir, then a, then an infinitive: voy a hablar, vas a comer, va a vivir.
What does voy a estudiar mean?
Voy a estudiar means “I am going to study”. It expresses a plan, intention or near future action.
What is the difference between voy a estudiar and estudiaré?
Voy a estudiar often sounds like a plan or near future intention. Estudiaré is the simple future and can sound more formal, predictive or neutral.
Where do pronouns go with ir a + infinitive?
Pronouns can usually go before the conjugated form of ir or attach to the infinitive: lo voy a hacer and voy a hacerlo.
How do you make the Spanish near future negative?
Place no before the conjugated form of ir: no voy a salir, no vamos a viajar, no lo voy a hacer.
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