Present of ir
Ir means "to go". Its present forms are vou, vas, vai, imos, ides, van. The destination usually follows a: Vou á praia (I am going to the beach).
How It Works
The forms
- eu vou (I go, I am going)
- ti vas (you go)
- el, ela, vostede vai (he, she goes; you go, formal)
- nós imos (we go)
- vós ides (you all go)
- eles, elas, vostedes van (they go; you go, formal plural)
Imos and vamos. In speech you will also hear vamos for "we go". The standard present uses imos and ides. Vamos! is used as a command, meaning "Let's go!"
Where to. The destination follows a, which contracts with the article: Vou ao mercado (a + o), Imos á praia (a + a), Van aos concertos, Vai ás clases. City names without an article just take a: Van a Ourense. See contractions of a.
How. The means of transport uses en: Vai ao traballo en autobús (She goes to work by bus). Walking is a pé.
Talking about plans. Ir + a verb in the infinitive describes what you are going to do: Vou comer (I am going to eat). See ir + infinitive.
Examples (6)
- Vou á praia.
I am going to the beach.
Word by Word: I-go to-the beach.
Á is a + a (to the, feminine).
- Onde vas?
Where are you going?
Word by Word: Where you-go?
- Ela vai ao traballo en autobús.
She goes to work by bus.
Word by Word: She goes to-the work in bus.
- Imos ao cine esta noite.
We are going to the cinema tonight.
Word by Word: We-go to-the cinema this night.
- Ides á festa?
Are you all going to the party?
Word by Word: You-all-go to-the party?
- Van a Ourense o sábado.
They are going to Ourense on Saturday.
Word by Word: They-go to Ourense the Saturday.
Common Mistakes
Using the Spanish form voy.
Voy ao mercado.Vou ao mercado.The Galician "I" form is vou, ending in -ou like estou and dou.
Not contracting a with the article.
Vou a a praia.Vou á praia.A + a always joins into á in writing, just as a + o becomes ao.
Using the Spanish form vais for vós.
Vós vais á festa?Vós ides á festa?The vós form of ir is ides.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Ir has irregular present forms for movement.
Related Patterns
- ir + InfinitiveGoing to: Ir + Infinitive
Ir + infinitive talks about plans and the near future.
Level 2 - a + o = aoContractions of a with the Article
The contractions ao, á, aos, ás that follow ir.
Level 1 - The Preposition a
A marks the destination after ir.
Level 1 - Preterite of ser and ir
Ir shares its past forms with ser (fun, foi).
Level 2 - Present of estar
Estar also has an "I" form in -ou: estou, like vou.
Level 1 - Irregular Commands
Commands with ir include vai, ide and vamos.
Level 2
Words in This Pattern
Practice Present of ir in Bubblegum
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