Spanish verb IR (to go): present tense – Episode 63

Spanish verb IR (to go): present tense

Podcast episode 63 – SEE ALL EPISODES

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

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Today we’re going to learn and practice the verb IR [to go] in the present tense.

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In a previous lesson, I introduced you to ten very common verbs that express motion.

Today we’re going to focus on one of them: IR, to go. IR is one of the most common Spanish verbs. You’ll find it even in the most basic sentences, and you’ll hear it all the time. So it’s essential that you know it well.

IR is a very irregular verb. It’s irregular in many tenses, and it often doesn’t look at all like its infinitive IR [to go]. To help you become familiar with this difficult verb, today I’m going to show you the six forms of the present tense. The one you’ll hear most often. And then we’re going to do a listening and a speaking drill.

These are the six forms of the verb IR in the present tense. Repeat after me:

voy – I go
vas – you (singular) go
va – he/she/it goes
vamos – we go
vais – you (plural) go
van – they go

Let’s say them once more. Say them after me.

Now, we’re going to do a listening drill. Can you tell me what these 6 forms mean in English?

va – he/she/it goes
vamos – we go
voy – I go
van – they go
vas – you (singular) go
vais – you (plural) go

And now, let’s do a speaking drill. Can you tell me these 6 forms in Spanish?

you (plural) go – vais
we go – vamos
they go – van
he/she/it goes – va
I go – voy
you (singular) go – vas

Let’s do another speaking drill. Can you tell me these 6 forms in Spanish?

they go – van
you (plural) go – vais
you (singular) go – vas
I go – voy
we go – vamos
he/she/it goes – va

To recap, we’re going to say the 6 forms one last time:

voy – I go
vas – you (singular) go
va – he/she/it goes
vamos – we go
vais – you (plural) go
van – they go

To make sure you’ve mastered these six irregular forms, come back to this lesson every now and then. Remember that reviewing what you’ve learned is essential if you want to become fluent in Spanish.

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