Near future (futuro próximo)
Spanish has a 'real' future tense (hablaré, comeré…), but 90% of conversations use a much simpler structure: the verb ir in the present + a + infinitive. Almost identical to English 'I'm going to'. Today, just this.
The verb ir in the present
ir = to go — but in this construction it loses its literal meaning. Conjugation: yo voy, tú vas, él/ella/usted va, nosotros vamos, vosotros vais, ellos/ellas/ustedes van. Memorize: voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van.
The formula
ir (conjugated) + a + INFINITIVE. Yo voy a comer = I'm going to eat. Ella va a viajar = she's going to travel. Vamos a hablar = we're going to talk.
With time markers
Mañana = tomorrow. Esta tarde = this afternoon/evening. El próximo año = next year. La semana que viene = next week. Mañana voy a estudiar. / La semana que viene vamos a viajar a España.
ir on its own = 'to go somewhere'
Without a + infinitive, with a + place, it's just 'to go there': Voy a Madrid = I'm going to Madrid. Vamos al mercado (a + el → al) = we're going to the market. Context tells you whether it's the future construction or actual movement.
Vamos a + infinitive = 'let's…'
Bonus use: Vamos a comer can mean both 'we're going to eat' and 'let's eat' — it's an invitation. ¡Vamos a hablar español! = 'Let's speak Spanish!' Context (and tone) decides which.
