IR + A + Infinitive
How to say you are going to do
something.
ir
• You remember how to conjugate the verb ir:
Yo voy
Nosotros/as vamos
Tú vas
Vosotros/as vais
Él/ella/Ud. va
Uds./ellos/ellas van
ir + a + location
• If you want to say you are going to a specific
place, use the “ir + a + location” formula.
– For example, if you want to say, “I am going to the
park” in Spanish you would say, “Voy al parque.”
Reminder
• To say “at the,” in Spanish, you would put “a +
el” or “a + la.”
A + Definite Article (el, la, las)
• Remember that if “a” comes before the article
“el,” it transforms into “al.”
– a + el = al (example: al parque (a + el = al))
A + definite article
If “a” comes before the article “la,” it does not
change.
-a + la = a la (example: a la biblioteca (a + la= a
la))
If “a” comes before “las” then it stays as “a las.”
Practice “ir + a + location”
• How would you say:
– “I am going to the gym.”
• Voy al gimnasio. (a + el = al)
Practice “ir + a + location”
– “They are going to the beach.”
• Van a la playa.
More Practice with “ir + a + location”
– “We are going to the mountains.”
• Vamos a las montañas.
“ir + a + location”
– “They are going to the swimming pool.
• Van a la piscina.
“ir + a + location”
– “He is going to the country.”
• Él va al campo.
Infinitives
• What is an infinitive?
– The infinitive is the un-conjugated form of a verb.
Infinitives
– In English, “to be” “to go” or “to have” are all
examples of un-conjugated verbs.
Infinitives
• In Spanish, infinitives are the un-conjugated verbs
that end in –ir, -er, or –ar. For example, “ir,” “nadar,”
and “hablar” are un-conjugated verbs.
ir + a + infinitive
• If you want to say you are going to do
something, you would use the formula, “ir + a
+ infinitive.”
Example of “ir + a + infinitive”
• For example, if you wanted to say,
• “I am going to swim,” then you would say
–
“Voy a nadar.”
Steps to using “ir + a + infinitive”
“I am going to swim at the swimming pool.”
– Step 1: First, find your subject in the sentence.
I is your subject. So conjugate “ir” in the I form to
say “I am going…”
1. Voy
Step 2:
– Add “a” behind the conjugated form of “ir”
2. Voy a
Step 3:
– Put the infinitive, “to swim” behind “a.”
3. Voy a nadar
Step 4:
• Then, put “a la piscina” to say “at the swimming
pool.
4. Voy a nadar a la piscina.
Practice with “ir + a + infinitive”
• I am going to read at the library.
– Voy a leer a la biblioteca.
Practice with “ir + a + infinitive”
• She is going to walk in the mountains.
– Ella va a caminar a las montañas.
More examples (más ejemplos)
• They are going to shop at the mall.
– Ellos van a ir de compras al centro comercial.
More examples (más ejemplos)
• We are going to swim at the beach.
– Vamos a nadar a la playa.
More examples (más ejemplos)
• You all are going to see a movie.
– Uds. van a ver la película.