Learn Portuguese (Portugal): Eu não vou lá.

Eu não vou lá.

I am not going there.

Breakdown of Eu não vou lá.

Questions & Answers about Eu não vou lá.

Why does vou translate to "am going" instead of just "go"?

In Portuguese, the simple present tense (like vou) is often used to express actions happening right now or in the near future. While English uses "am going", Portuguese usually just needs the simple present.

Why is "there" translated as lá here? Are there other words for "there"?

Yes! Portuguese is very specific about distance. Lá means "there" when the place is far away from both the speaker and the listener. If the place were physically close to the person you are talking to, you would use aí instead.

Where does the word não belong in a sentence?

In Portuguese, the negative word não almost always goes immediately before the verb it is negating. That is why it is não vou and never vou não.

Do I need a preposition like a or para before lá?

You can say para lá (to there), but you don't have to. The phrase ir lá (to go there) is extremely common in everyday Portuguese without needing an extra preposition in the middle.