Breakdown of Eu não vou à estação hoje.
eu
I
não
not / no
hoje
today
à
at the (fem. sg.) / to the (fem. sg.)
ir
to go
a estação
the station
Questions & Answers about Eu não vou à estação hoje.
Why do we use the preposition 'a' (hidden inside 'à') here instead of 'para'?
The verb ir (to go) pairs with both a and para, but they have different meanings. We use a for a short, temporary visit where you intend to return soon, like going to the station to run an errand or catch a train. We use para if you are moving somewhere for a long time, or to emphasize a final, long-term destination.
What does the backward accent mark on 'à' mean?
It shows a contraction (a merger of two words). The preposition a (to) meets the feminine definite article a (the), because estação is a feminine noun. Instead of writing a a, they combine into à. The grave accent tells you both words are in there.
The English translation says "am not going", but isn't 'vou' just the simple present tense "go"?
Yes, vou literally means "I go". However, Portuguese frequently uses the simple present tense for things happening in the near future or for continuous actions. "I am not going today" translates perfectly to the simple present não vou hoje.
Learn Eu não vou à estação hoje and more in Portuguese
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free