Spanish grammar · interactive
Ir a + Infinitive Practice
Voy a comer, vamos a ver… conjugate ir, add a, keep the verb whole — and you can talk about the future on day one. Drill it with instant feedback.
This ir a infinitive practice page drills the most useful structure in beginner Spanish: conjugated ir + a + infinitive, the ‘going to’ future. Pick the right form in real sentences and get an explanation for every answer — including the pieces learners drop (that little a) and the forms they over-conjugate.
The short version: conjugate only ir (voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van), always keep the a, and leave the second verb in the infinitive — ‘voy a comer’, never ‘voy a como’ or ‘voy comer’.
Try the ir a + infinitive exercise
Choose the form that fits. You’ll see why after each answer.
Nosotros a cenar fuera esta noche.
We are going to eat out tonight.
How it works
- 1
Read the sentence
A real Spanish sentence appears with part of the structure blanked out.
- 2
Pick the right piece
The form of ir, the a, or the infinitive. Instant right/wrong feedback.
- 3
Learn the why
Every answer reinforces the three-part recipe: ir + a + infinitive.
What you’ll learn
- All six forms of ir in the present: voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van
- Why the a can never be dropped — and why learners drop it anyway
- The double life of ‘vamos a’: ‘we’re going to’ and ‘let’s’
- When to use ir a + infinitive vs the simple future (hablaré)
The future you can build on day one
Spanish has a conjugated future tense (hablaré, comerás…), but in everyday speech the near future — ir a + infinitive — does most of the work, exactly like ‘going to’ in English. The recipe has three fixed parts: a conjugated form of ir, the preposition a, and an untouched infinitive. Because ir is the only verb you conjugate, one irregular verb unlocks future statements with every verb in the language: voy a salir, va a llover, van a llegar tarde.
Register matters here. In conversation, ‘voy a viajar a México’ sounds natural where ‘viajaré a México’ can sound formal or literary. The simple future survives in writing, in promises and predictions (‘te llamaré’), and for guesses about the present (‘serán las cinco’ — it must be around five). For plans and intentions — most of what you actually say about the future — ir a + infinitive is the default.
Traps: the vanishing a and the double conjugation
The number-one error is dropping the a: ‘voy comer’. It happens because in fast native speech ‘va a hablar’ compresses the two a-sounds into one, so learners genuinely don’t hear it. But in writing and careful speech the a is obligatory — treat ‘ir a’ as one inseparable unit. The number-two error is conjugating both verbs (‘voy a como’): only ir carries the person and tense; the second verb always stays an infinitive.
One genuine ambiguity to embrace rather than fear: ‘¡Vamos a bailar!’ can mean ‘we’re going to dance’ or ‘let’s dance!’ — context and intonation decide. This ‘let’s’ use is extremely common and worth producing early. And remember ir a also takes places, not just verbs (‘voy a la playa’); the future meaning only appears when what follows the a is an infinitive.
Quick reference: ir a + infinitive
| Form of ir | Example |
|---|---|
| yo → voy | Voy a estudiar esta noche. (I’m going to study tonight.) |
| tú → vas | ¿Vas a venir a la fiesta? (Are you going to come to the party?) |
| él / ella / usted → va | Va a llover mañana. (It’s going to rain tomorrow.) |
| nosotros → vamos | ¡Vamos a comer! (We’re going to eat / Let’s eat!) |
| ellos / ustedes → van | Van a llegar tarde. (They’re going to arrive late.) |
Frequently asked questions
How do you form the near future in Spanish?
Conjugate ir in the present (voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van), add a, then an infinitive: ‘Voy a estudiar’ — I’m going to study. Only ir changes; the second verb never conjugates.
What does ‘vamos a’ mean?
Two things, depending on context: ‘we are going to’ (‘vamos a viajar en junio’) or ‘let’s’ (‘¡vamos a bailar!’ — let’s dance). As a suggestion it’s one of the most common ways to propose doing something together.
Do I always need the ‘a’ after ir?
Yes — the structure is ir + a + infinitive, and dropping the a is always an error in writing. It’s easy to miss by ear because ‘va a hablar’ blends the two a-sounds together in fast speech.
Should I use ir a + infinitive or the future tense?
For plans and intentions in conversation, ir a + infinitive (‘voy a llamarte’) is the natural default. The simple future (‘te llamaré’) leans more formal or written, and also covers promises and speculation (‘serán las cinco’).
Make the near future automatic
Three parts, zero exceptions — it just needs reps. HablaCore drills ir a + infinitive in real AI-generated sentences with instant feedback, so the a never goes missing again.
Practice ir a + infinitive in real sentences