Spanish Grammar Revision: Immediate Future and Preterite Tenses

The Immediate Future

The immediate future tense in Spanish is constructed using three steps:

  1. Use the present tense of the verb "ir" (to go).

  2. Add the preposition "a".

  3. Follow with the infinitive form of the verb.

Here are the conjugations of "ir" in the present tense:

  • Voy: I am going to

  • Vas: You (singular, formal) are going to

  • Va: He/She/It is going to

  • Vamos: We are going to

  • Vais: You (plural, informal) are going to

  • Van: They are going to

Examples:

  • They are going to eat: Van a comer

  • You (singular, formal) are going to study: Vas a estudiar

  • We are going to travel: Vamos a viajar

The Preterite Tense

The preterite tense is used to describe actions that were completed in the past. To form the preterite tense, follow these steps:

  1. Take the infinitive of the verb.

  2. Remove the ending (-ar, -er, -ir).

  3. Add the preterite endings.

-AR Preterite Endings

The preterite endings for -AR verbs are:

  • é

  • aste

  • ó

  • amos

  • asteis

  • aron

-ER and -IR Preterite Endings

The preterite endings for -ER and -IR verbs are:

  • í

  • iste

  • ió

  • imos

  • isteis

  • ieron