ir + Infinitive

Near Future

Level 1

The ir + infinitive construction is the most common way to talk about the future in spoken Portuguese. It works just like the English 'going to'.

How It Works

In Portuguese, the 'Near Future' (Futuro Próximo) is the standard way to express future actions in daily conversation. While its name suggests it is only for things happening soon, native speakers use it for any future event, whether it's in five minutes or five years.

How to form it:
1. Conjugate the verb ir in the present tense to match the subject. If using a gente, remember it requires the third-person singular (e.g., A gente vai comer).
2. Add the main verb in its base form (the infinitive).

Key Rules:

  • No Preposition: Do not add 'a' or 'de' between the verbs. It is 'Vou comer', not 'Vou a comer'.
  • Redundancy Note: In European Portuguese, it is often considered redundant to use 'ir' as both the auxiliary and main verb. Instead of 'Vou ir ao cinema', speakers often simply say 'Vou ao cinema'.
  • Pronoun Placement: When using object pronouns, placement varies by region. In Portugal, the pronoun usually follows the infinitive (Vou ver-te). In Brazil, the most common informal usage is placing the pronoun between the two verbs (Vou te ver), though placing it before the auxiliary (Te vou ver) is also heard.
  • Register: This is the default future for speech. The synthetic future (e.g., falarei) is formal for future events, but it is frequently used in speech to express probability in the present (e.g., 'Quem será?' meaning 'Who could it be?').
  • Certainty: It implies a plan, an intention, or a prediction based on current evidence.

Examples (5)

  1. Eu vou falar com ela amanhã.

    I am going to speak with her tomorrow.

    Word by Word: I go to-speak with her tomorrow.

    The verb 'ir' is conjugated for 'eu' (vou), followed by the infinitive 'falar'.

  2. Nós vamos viajar nas férias.

    We are going to travel on vacation.

    Word by Word: We go to-travel in-the vacations.

    The verb 'ir' is conjugated for 'nós' (vamos), followed by the infinitive 'viajar'.

  3. Eles vão chegar tarde.

    They are going to arrive late.

    Word by Word: They go to-arrive late.

    The verb 'ir' is conjugated for 'eles' (vão), followed by the infinitive 'chegar'.

  4. Você vai comer agora?

    Are you going to eat now?

    Word by Word: You go to-eat now?

    A simple question using the future construction with 'você'.

  5. A gente vai sair mais cedo.

    We are going to leave earlier.

    Word by Word: The people go to-leave more early.

    When using a gente, the verb 'ir' stays in the singular (vai).

Common Mistakes

  • Inserting the preposition 'a' between the verbs.

    Eu vou a estudar hoje.
    Eu vou estudar hoje.

    Unlike Spanish ('voy a estudiar'), Portuguese does not use a preposition in this future construction.

  • Conjugating both verbs.

    Nós vamos viajamos.
    Nós vamos viajar.

    Only the auxiliary verb 'ir' is conjugated. The main verb must remain in the infinitive form.

  • Using the wrong agreement with 'a gente'.

    A gente vamos sair.
    A gente vai sair.

    Even though a gente means 'we', it always takes a third-person singular verb.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

ir + InfinitiveLevel 1Near Future

Learn This First

To form the near future, you must first know how to conjugate the verb 'ir' (to go) in the present tense. You also need to understand the concept of an infinitive verb, which serves as the main action in this construction.

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