Mastering Irregular Spanish Conjugations

“Ir,” the Spanish verb for “to go,” is an irregular verb, meaning it does not follow the conventional format of replacing the infinitive suffix ending on a root verb with a conjugated ending. This irregularity carries through the present, preterite and imperfect indicative tenses as well as the subjunctive tenses of “to go.” The only instances of "regular" conjugation are the conditional and future indicative tenses, which use the root infinitive verb “ir” with an additional suffix, as well as in the perfect and perfect subjunctive tenses.

Irregular Conjugation Example

In the present indicative tense, “ir” is conjugated as follows: “yo voy” for “I go”; “tù vas” or “usted vas” for “you go,” depending on your familiarity with the person you're speaking to (use “vosotros vais” or “ustedes vais” if you are addressing multiple people); “ella va” for “she goes”; “nosotros vamos” for “we go”; and “ellos van,” for “they go.” A similar root is used for the subjunctive present tense -- for example, “yo vaya,” or “I would go” -- also for the imperative command tense -- for example, for the command “let’s go!” you would say, “vayamos!”

Conjugation Examples Incorporating the Infinitive “Ir”

“Ir” becomes the root of conjugations in the conditional and future indicative tenses, and a variation becomes the past participle in past tense verb constructions. For example, conjugations in the future tense would be as follows: “yo ire” for “I will go”; “tù iràs” for “you will go”; “ella irá” for “she will go”; “nosotros iremos” for “we will go”; and “ellos irán” for “they will go”. In past tense constructions, “ir” transforms into the past participle “ido” following the conjugated form of the auxiliary verb, “haber,” or “to have.” For example,” “yo hube ido” would translate as “I went” or “I had gone.”