Ir means “to go” in Spanish. It’s an irregular verb used to express movement, intention, or future actions.
Irregural Patterns
Irstem changes (yo voy, nosotros vamos)
Different roots in past tenses (fui, iba)
Most Uses
Going somewhere
Talking about future plans
Forming commands and subjunctive expressions
Conjugation Tables
Present Tense
| Spanish Subject | Spanish Conjugation | English Subject | English Conjugation |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | voy | I | go / am going |
| tú | vas | you | go / are going |
| él/ella | va | he/she | goes / is going |
| nosotros | vamos | we | go / are going |
| vosotros | vais | you (plural) | go / are going |
| ellos | van | they | go / are going |
Example:
- Yo voy al mercado. / I go to the market.
Preterite Tense
| Spanish Subject | Spanish Conjugation | English Subject | English Conjugation |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | fui | I | went |
| tú | fuiste | you | went |
| él/ella | fue | he/she | went |
| nosotros | fuimos | we | went |
| vosotros | fuisteis | you (plural) | went |
| ellos | fueron | they | went |
Example:
- Ayer fui al cine. / Yesterday I went to the movies.
Imperfect Tense
| Spanish Subject | Spanish Conjugation | English Subject | English Conjugation |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | iba | I | used to go / was going |
| tú | ibas | you | used to go / were going |
| él/ella | iba | he/she | used to go / was going |
| nosotros | íbamos | we | used to go / were going |
| vosotros | ibais | you (plural) | used to go / were going |
| ellos | iban | they | used to go / were going |
Example:
- Cuando era niño, iba al parque. / When I was a child, I used to go to the park.
Present Subjunctive
| Spanish Subject | Spanish Conjugation | English Subject | English Conjugation |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | vaya | I | go |
| tú | vayas | you | go |
| él/ella | vaya | he/she | go |
| nosotros | vayamos | we | go |
| vosotros | vayáis | you (plural) | go |
| ellos | vayan | they | go |
Example:
- Espero que vayamos juntos. / I hope we go together.
Practice Tips
Use ir + a + infinitive to talk about the near future (e.g., Voy a estudiar = I’m going to study).
Pay special attention to irregular forms in past tenses (fui, fui, iba).
Practice using ir in different contexts to get comfortable with its flexibility.
How can you get more comfortable using ir in conversation?
Practice making sentences about where you’re going, your plans, and past activities.
Using ir in meaningful contexts—talking about real places and plans—helps you internalize its irregular patterns and everyday uses.
More Help
Try using ir in sentences to describe your plans or past activities.
Remember: context matters, especially with irregular verbs like ir.
Ir helps you talk about “going” — whether it’s a place, a plan, or something more abstract.
Why might ir seem challenging at first?
Because ir changes stems across tenses and appears in many different grammatical moods.
Ir is short but complex: its form shifts by tense and mood, so learners must memorize multiple stems and endings.
Flashcards (1 of 24)
- English Subject: I
- English Conjugation: go / am going
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
