ir a la
/iɾ a la/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'go to the' is translated into Spanish as ir a la.
The phrase is used to express moving from one place to a specific destination. While you can use ir a la for general movement, if you are specifically heading towards or directing oneself to a location, the formal phrase Dirigirse a may be used. When you are talking about going to a specific city or country, you can use the preposition a or hacia. Additionally, if you are talking about attending an institution like a school, work or church, the verb asistir is often used instead.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of the verb ir (to go), the preposition a (to) and the feminine singular article la (the).
Which one should you use?
The choice of phrase depends on the gender and number of the destination. Use ir a la specifically for feminine singular destinations. For masculine singular destinations, you would use ir al.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, particularly in the Caribbean, the phrase vamos pa’ is used instead of vamos a.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must agree with the noun that follows it. Use ir a la for feminine singular nouns, ir a las for feminine plural nouns and ir a los for masculine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/iɾ a la/
Did you know?
- The Spanish verb ir is so irregular that its present tense forms like voy actually come from a completely different Latin verb, vādere, rather than īre.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, if someone tells you vete to tell you to 'go away', they are using a reflexive form of the verb ir that literally means 'go yourself'.
Examples in context
- Quiero ir a la tienda.I want to go to the store.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase with the word ir a la.Tatoeba #2968530 by marcelostockle, translation #2967167 by mikulthegreat
- Yo quiero ir a la luna.I want to go to the moon.Tatoeba #1256140 by marcelostockle, translation #1256131 by stb
- Quiero ir a la montaña.I want to go to the mountain.Tatoeba #3948749 by gianich73, translation #3951599 by Lisandro586
- Voy a la tienda.I'm going to the store.
- Me dirijo al banco para hacer un depósito.I'm heading to the bank to make a deposit.
- Vamos al parque.Let's go to the park.
- Voy a la casa de mi amigo.I'm going to my friend's house.
- Vamos pa' la playa.Let's go to the beach.
- Me voy al cine.I'm going to the cinema.
- Voy al supermercado.I'm going to the supermarket.
- Asisto a la escuela todas las mañanas.I go to school every morning.
- 93 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are deciding where to go in the afternoon.
- Javier¿Quieres ir a la playa hoy?Do you want to go to the beach today?
- LucíaNo, prefiero ir a la biblioteca.No, I prefer to go to the library.
- JavierEstá bien, vamos a la biblioteca.Okay, let's go to the library.
- LucíaPerfecto, yo tengo que estudiar.Perfect, I have to study.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, ir, la, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
