Periphrastic Future: Ir + Infinitive

This structure uses two verbs working together as a team. The first verb is the helper. The second verb is the action. The helper verb is always ir. You must conjugate ir to match the person talking. The second verb stays in its original, lazy form. This form is called the infinitive. It always ends in -ar, -er, or -ir. You do not change the second verb at all. Leave it alone! It is like a passenger in a car. The verb ir is the driver doing all the work. If you say Eu vou, the next word is just the action. Eu vou trabalhar means "I am going to work." It is simple, clean, and very effective for beginners.

1. 1Start with the person (the subject). For example, Eu (I) or Você (You).
2. 2Add the correct present tense form of ir.
3. 3Eu vou (I go/am going)
4. 4Você/Ele/Ela vai (You/He/She goes)
5. 5Nós vamos (We go)
6. 6Vocês/Eles/Elas vão (You all/They go)
7. 7Add your main action verb in the infinitive. Do not change its ending!
8. 8(Optional) Add the rest of your sentence, like a time or place.
9. 9Let’s look at an example. To say "We are going to study tonight," follow the steps. Start with Nós. Add vamos. Add estudar. End with hoje à noite. You get: Nós vamos estudar hoje à noite.

Use this pattern for almost everything in your future. It is great for near-future plans. Are you going to the gym in an hour? Use it. Use it for firm intentions too. If you decided to buy a new phone, say Eu vou comprar um celular. It works perfectly in social situations. Use it to invite friends out. Você vai sair hoje? (Are you going out today?). It is also the standard for work scenarios. Use it to tell your boss you will finish a report. Eu vou terminar o relatório. In job interviews, use it to talk about your goals. It shows confidence because it sounds like a solid plan. Even ordering food feels better with it. Eu vou querer um café (I am going to want a coffee). It is the bread and butter of spoken Portuguese.

Do not use this for very formal writing. If you are writing a legal contract, skip it. If you are writing a classic poem, use the simple future instead. Avoid it if you want to sound very academic or old-fashioned. Also, be careful when using it for things that are pure speculation. If you are guessing about the distant future of the universe, it might feel too "casual." However, for 95% of your life, this rule is fine. Think of it like wearing sneakers. They are great for almost everywhere. But maybe you want fancy shoes for a royal wedding. The simple future is the fancy shoe. This periphrastic future is your comfortable, everyday sneaker.

One big mistake is conjugating both verbs. People sometimes say Eu vou como. This is wrong! It sounds like "I am going I eat." Keep the second verb as comer. Another slip-up is forgetting the helper verb entirely. You cannot just say Eu comer. That sounds like Tarzan. Always remember your driver, ir. Some learners try to add the word "to" between the verbs. In English, we say "going TO eat." In Portuguese, there is no "to" there. Do not say Eu vou para comer. Just say Eu vou comer. Finally, watch out for the verb ir itself. Some people feel weird saying Eu vou ir (I am going to go). It sounds repetitive, but it is actually correct! If it feels too strange, you can just say Eu vou.

Portuguese has a "Simple Future" like Eu comerei. This is one single word. It looks elegant on paper. But in the street, it sounds a bit stiff. It is like using a silver fork for a burger. Most people will understand you, but they might think you are a time traveler from the 1800s. The periphrastic future (Eu vou comer) is much more common in Brazil and Portugal today. English speakers have it easy here. Our "going to" and "will" distinction is similar. Use the ir + infinitive pattern for things you have planned or see coming. It is the "going to" of the Lusophone world.