The near future
Ir a with an infinitive: what you are going to do.
Learn
The near future, explained point by point
Everything the GCSE specification expects you to be able to do, and how to actually do it - the same lesson a signed-in student studies from.
Form the near future with ir a and an infinitive
Use the present of ir, then a, then an infinitive: voy a, vas a, va a, vamos a, vais a, van a. Voy a estudiar means I am going to study, and Vamos a viajar means we are going to travel.
Keep the a, and join a and el into al
The a is never left out: Voy a jugar, not Voy jugar. When it meets el, the two join: Voy a ir al cine, but Voy a ir a la playa.
Use time phrases that point to the future
Set the scene with mañana, esta tarde, el fin de semana, la semana que viene or el próximo año: Esta tarde voy a ver a mis amigos. Que viene after a time word means next.
Use it for will as well as going to
The near future often translates English will, especially when you speak: Mañana va a llover means it is going to rain tomorrow, or it will rain tomorrow. It is the simplest way to talk about the future at both tiers.
Place a pronoun before ir or on the end of the infinitive
A pronoun goes before the part of ir or joins the end of the infinitive: Me voy a levantar temprano or Voy a levantarme temprano; Lo voy a comprar or Voy a comprarlo.
Vary your plans with pienso, quiero and espero
Other verbs with an infinitive add variety to your plans: Pienso estudiar ciencias (I plan to study science), Quiero trabajar en el extranjero, Espero aprobar mis exámenes. Mixing them with voy a shows range in a writing task.
Say what you were going to do with iba a
Iba a with an infinitive means was going to, often for a plan that changed: Iba a salir, pero empezó a llover. Use iba for I and for he or she, and ibas for you.
The near future key terms
The words the specification and the mark schemes use, each defined the way an examiner wants it.
- ir a with an infinitive
- To be going to do something: Vamos a ver una película means we are going to watch a film.
- voy a
- I am going to, the start of the near future for I: Voy a trabajar en un hotel.
- mañana
- Tomorrow. Por la mañana means in the morning, so mañana por la mañana means tomorrow morning.
- que viene
- Next, after a time word: la semana que viene is next week and el verano que viene is next summer.
- próximo
- Next, usually placed before the noun and agreeing with it: el próximo año, la próxima semana.
- pensar with an infinitive
- To plan to, or to intend to: Pienso ir a la universidad means I plan to go to university.
- esperar with an infinitive
- To hope to: Espero aprobar mis exámenes means I hope to pass my exams.
- iba a
- Was going to, often for a plan that did not happen: Iba a llamarte means I was going to call you.
Common mistakes in The near future
The slips that cost marks year after year, and what to do instead.
Leaving out a, as in Voy jugar.
The near future always needs a between ir and the infinitive: Voy a jugar, Van a venir.
Conjugating the second verb, as in Voy a juego.
Only ir changes, and the second verb stays in the infinitive: Voy a jugar, Vamos a comer.
Using va for I, as in Yo va a viajar.
Match ir to the person: voy for I, vas for you, va for he or she. Learn voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van by heart.
Writing a el before a masculine noun, as in Voy a ir a el parque.
A and el join to make al: Voy a ir al parque. With la, nothing changes: Voy a ir a la playa.
Using the present continuous for a plan, as in Estoy saliendo esta noche.
Spanish does not use estar and a gerund for plans. Use the near future, Voy a salir esta noche, or simply the present: Salgo esta noche.
Practice
Try a The near future question
A GCSE-style original question from this topic. Have a go before you open the working - deciding on an answer first is what makes the working stick.
Which sentence means I am going to get up early tomorrow?
- Mañana voy a levantarse temprano.
- Mañana me voy a levanto temprano.
- Mañana voy a me levantar temprano.
- Mañana voy a levantarme temprano.
Show the answer and the working
Answer: Mañana voy a levantarme temprano.
Levantarse is reflexive, and in the near future its pronoun matches the person: for I it is me, joined to the end of the infinitive in voy a levantarme.
- Levantarse is to get up, a reflexive verb.
- For I, the pronoun is me, not se.
- It goes on the end of the infinitive (levantarme) or before voy (me voy a levantar).
- Only Mañana voy a levantarme temprano. does that.