Learn Spanish (Latin America): Voy a nadar en el lago con mis amigos. - I am going to swim in the lake with my friends.

Voy a nadar en el lago con mis amigos.

I am going to swim in the lake with my friends.

Breakdown of Voy a nadar en el lago con mis amigos.

Questions & Answers about Voy a nadar en el lago con mis amigos.

Where is the word for "I" in this sentence?

In Spanish, you can often leave out subject pronouns like yo (I) because the verb form already tells us who is doing the action. The verb voy specifically means "I go" or "I am going", so saying yo voy is optional and usually dropped to sound more natural.

How does voy a nadar talk about the future?

This sentence uses the very common "near future" formula. It combines a form of the verb ir (to go), the word a, and an infinitive verb (an unchanged verb, like nadar). Here, voy means "I am going", a connects the action, and nadar means "to swim". Together, they mean "I am going to swim".

Can I just say voy nadar and skip the a?

No, you always need the a when using this formula! Just like in English where we say "I am going to swim", in Spanish you must say voy a nadar. The verb ir is almost always followed by a when talking about an action you are going to do or a place you are going to.

Why is it mis amigos and not mi amigos?