Learn Spanish (Spain): Este fin de semana vamos a la sierra. - This weekend we're going to the mountains.

In Spanish, just like in English, it is very common to use the present tense to talk about a fixed, scheduled plan in the near future. While you could say iremos (we will go) or vamos a ir (we are going to go), using the simple present vamos makes it sound like a sure thing that is already organized.

Why use la sierra here instead of las montañas?

While montaña means mountain, when people in Spain talk about going to the mountains for a weekend getaway or hiking, they almost always use la sierra. A sierra is a mountain range (the word literally means saw, referring to the jagged peaks). Major Spanish cities usually have a specific sierra nearby that locals escape to.

Why is it este fin de semana and not esto fin de semana?

This is a common trap! Because fin (end) is a masculine noun, you must use the masculine word for this, which is este. The word esto is a neuter pronoun used only for abstract ideas, whole situations, or unknown objects (like asking ¿Qué es esto?). Whenever you put this directly in front of a masculine noun, you must use este.

Do people in Spain always say the full phrase fin de semana in casual conversation?