voy a
/boi a/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'I am going to' is expressed as voy a.
The phrase voy a is used to express an intention to do something in the near future. This is typically achieved by using voy a followed by an infinitive verb.
Which one should you use?
The meaning of voy a depends on what follows it. When followed by an infinitive verb, it expresses an intention to perform an action. However, when followed by a noun representing a place, it means 'I am going to [place]'.
How does it change in a sentence?
voy a is the first-person singular form of this construction. You can conjugate the verb to change the subject: use vas a to say 'you are going to' (informal) and va a to say 'he/she/it is going to'.
What mistakes should you avoid?
When expressing an intention with an infinitive, remember that the 'a' after 'voy' is grammatically required. Do not omit it.
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers often use voy alone to mean 'I am coming' when they are moving toward the person they are speaking to.
- The word voy shares a common ancestor with the English word 'wander', both stemming from the concept of moving or going through a space.
- The tiny word a in voy a is a direct survivor from the Latin preposition 'ad', which has functioned as a connector for thousands of years.
Examples in context
- ¡Te voy a matar!I am going to kill you!This sentence shows voy a used to express an intention.Tatoeba #1408546 by marcelostockle, translation #1135036 by shekitten
- Voy a la escuela.I am going to school.This sentence shows voy a used with a destination.Tatoeba #473450 by Shishir, translation #396887 by kamile
- Voy a jugar tenis.I am going to play tennis.This sentence shows voy a followed by an infinitive to express intention.Tatoeba #578582 by Leono, translation #255099 by CK
- Voy a estudiar.I am going to study.
- Voy a salir con mis amigos.I am going to go out with my friends.
- Me voy a divertir en la fiesta.I am going to have fun at the party.
- Voy a comer pizza esta noche.I am going to eat pizza tonight.
- Voy a visitar a mi abuela el fin de semana.I am going to visit my grandma this weekend.
- Me voy a ver una película al cine.I am going to watch a movie at the cinema.
- Me voy a comprar ropa nueva.I am going to buy new clothes.
- 100 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are talking at home about their plans for the evening.
- DanielMaría, ¿qué vas a hacer?María, what are you going to do?
- MaríaVoy a leer un libro.I am going to read a book.
- DanielYo voy a dormir temprano.I am going to sleep early.
- MaríaQue descanses, Daniel.Rest well, Daniel.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, voy, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
