ísť + Infinitive

Going to Do Something

Level 3

Put an infinitive right after ísť to say why you are going: Idem nakupovať (I'm going shopping), Išli sme sa kúpať (We went swimming).

How It Works

Movement plus purpose. After ísť and other verbs of motion, a bare infinitive says what you are going to do there:

  • Idem nakupovať. I'm going shopping.
  • Ideme sa prejsť. We're going for a walk.
  • Prišiel som ti pomôcť. I came to help you.
  • Choď spať! Go to bed!

This works in every tense: Išiel som nakupovať (past), Pôjdem nakupovať (future), Choď nakupovať (command). Other motion verbs work the same way: prísť, bežať, chodiť. Chodím plávať means I regularly go swimming.

Short words move forward. If the infinitive has sa, si or a short pronoun such as ti, that short word goes to the second position of the sentence, before the infinitive: Išli sme sa kúpať, not Išli sme kúpať sa. See unstressed words in second position.

Not a future tense. English going to can just mean the future. Slovak ísť + infinitive usually involves going somewhere. In casual speech it can also announce something you are about to do right now: Idem ti niečo povedať. (I'm going to tell you something.) It never works as a general future tense. For a plain future use budem or a perfective verb: Zajtra bude pršať. (It's going to rain tomorrow.)

A longer purpose clause, especially with a different subject, uses aby: Prišiel som, aby si nebol sám. (I came so that you wouldn't be alone.)

Examples (6)

  1. Idem nakupovať.

    I'm going shopping.

    Word by Word: I-go to-shop.

  2. Išli sme sa kúpať.

    We went swimming.

    Word by Word: We-went (we-are) self to-bathe.

    Sa comes before the infinitive, in second position.

  3. Ideme sa prejsť do parku.

    We're going for a walk in the park.

    Word by Word: We-go self to-walk into park.

  4. Prišiel som ti pomôcť.

    I came to help you.

    Word by Word: I-came (I-am) you to-help.

    Prísť, another motion verb, also takes an infinitive of purpose.

  5. Chodím plávať každú sobotu.

    I go swimming every Saturday.

    Word by Word: I-go to-swim every Saturday.

    With a regular habit, use chodiť.

  6. Choď už spať!

    Go to bed now!

    Word by Word: Go already to-sleep!

Common Mistakes

  • Using ísť for a plain future, as with English going to.

    Zajtra ide pršať.
    Zajtra bude pršať.

    Ísť with an infinitive is not a general future tense, and nobody is going anywhere. For tomorrow's weather, use bude with the infinitive.

  • Leaving sa after the infinitive.

    Išli sme kúpať sa.
    Išli sme sa kúpať.

    Sa is an unstressed word, so it moves to the second position of the sentence, before kúpať.

  • Adding a preposition before the infinitive.

    Idem na nakupovať.
    Idem nakupovať.

    Slovak puts the infinitive straight after the motion verb. Na would need a noun, as in Idem na nákup.

How It Connects

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

ísť + InfinitiveLevel 3Going to Do Something

Learn This First

Before Going To Do Something, learn Going With ísť. ísť + infinitive uses the forms of ísť.

Words in This Pattern

ísť