Voy a comprar algo en la tienda.

I am going to buy something at the store.

Breakdown of Voy a comprar algo en la tienda.

• yo: I
• comprar: to buy
• la tienda: the store
• a: to
• ir: to go
• algo: something

Questions & Answers about Voy a comprar algo en la tienda.

Why do we say Voy a comprar instead of just Compraré?

Voy a comprar expresses a near future action using the construction ir + a + infinitive, which is very common in Latin American Spanish (and Spanish in general) to talk about something you plan to do soon. Compraré is the simple future tense and can also mean I will buy, but it sometimes sounds more formal or less immediate.

Why is the verb ir (in the first-person form voy) used like this?

In Spanish, ir means to go. When followed by a + infinitive, it indicates a plan or intention to do something in the future. It literally translates to I’m going to buy, but it is equivalent to the English I am going to buy as a way of describing a near-future action.

Do I always need a before the infinitive?

Yes, when you use ir in these constructions, you must include a before the infinitive. For example: Voy a comer (I’m going to eat), Va a salir (He/She is going to go out). You can’t skip it; Voy comprar would be incorrect.

Why is it en la tienda and not a la tienda?

En la tienda means at the store or in the store. If you said a la tienda, you’d be saying to the store, which indicates motion towards the store rather than the location where you’ll be buying something. In this sentence, you’re focusing on the fact that you’re going to buy something at the store, not that you’re going to the store.

Can we replace algo with a specific item?

Absolutely. Algo means something, so if you know exactly what you want to buy, you would replace algo with the item’s name. For example: Voy a comprar manzanas en la tienda (I’m going to buy apples at the store).