# Ir a + infinitive: the spoken future

> id: grammar.verbs.ir-a-infinitive · category: grammar · depth: standard · levels: A1 · review: internally_reviewed

**Summary.** Voy a llamar, vamos a ver: the default future of conversation. In the imperfect, iba a = 'was going to'.

Conjugated ir + a + infinitive covers plans and intentions: voy a cocinar esta noche, van a subir los precios. The a is obligatory.

Past version iba a + infinitive expresses interrupted or unrealized intent: iba a escribirte, pero me quedé sin batería.

In speech this periphrastic future has almost entirely replaced the synthetic future (hablaré) for plans and predictions — voy a hablar con él feels more natural than hablaré con él. The synthetic future survives mainly for conjecture (será tarde, 'it must be late') and formal or written registers.

## Examples
- Vamos a necesitar más tiempo. — We're going to need more time.
- Iba a comprar, pero el precio subió. — I was going to buy, but the price went up.
- Mañana vamos a firmar el contrato; íbamos a hacerlo hoy, pero faltó un papel. — Tomorrow we're going to sign the contract; we were going to do it today, but a document was missing.

Related: conjugation.future.periphrastic-ir-a, grammar.verbs.periphrases-overview

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