Level 2 — Elementary (CEFR: A2)
Unit 7 — Verb Group 3: -IR Verbs
Lesson 12 — Near Future with -IR Verbs
Lesson Overview
Level: 2 — Elementary Unit: 7 — Verb Group 3: -IR Verbs Lesson: 12 of 14 Estimated Time: 30–45 minutes
What this lesson covers:
- Near future (ir + a + infinitive) applied to -IR verbs
- The curriculum key sentences: Voy a seguir a Cristo and ¿Vas a servir en esta comunidad?
- How the near future bypasses all -IR irregularities
- Extension sentences using the full -IR verb set
- Near future for commissioning and sending language
Near Future: The Infinitive Is Always Unchanged
The near future construction uses ir (present) + a + infinitive. For -IR verbs:
voy a seguir — I am going to follow vamos a servir — we are going to serve van a decir — they are going to say va a vivir — he/she is going to live
All -IR stem changes and yo-go irregularities are bypassed in the near future because the infinitive — not the conjugated form — follows a. The interpreter who has learned digo and sigo in the present must be aware that the near future uses decir and seguir unchanged.
The Curriculum Key Sentences
Voy a seguir a Cristo.
— I am going to follow Christ.
This is the fundamental declaration of discipleship in the near future tense. Seguir is irregular in the present (sigo) and has a stem change — but in the near future, it appears as the plain infinitive seguir. The sentence expresses intentional, willed commitment.
Variations: Voy a seguir a Cristo sin importar lo que venga. — I am going to follow Christ no matter what comes. ¿Vas a seguir a Jesús cuando el camino sea difícil? — Are you going to follow Jesus when the path is difficult? Vamos a seguir al Buen Pastor — Él conoce el camino. — We are going to follow the Good Shepherd — He knows the way. Van a seguir la visión que Dios les dio para esta generación. — They are going to follow the vision God gave them for this generation.
¿Vas a servir en esta comunidad?
— Are you going to serve in this community?
This is a pastoral question — it asks about calling and placement. Servir is irregular in the present (sirvo), but the near future uses servir unchanged. This question appears in ministry contexts when a leader is discerning whether someone is called to a specific place or role.
Variations: ¿Vas a servir en el ministerio de jóvenes este año? — Are you going to serve in youth ministry this year? Va a servir en las misiones internacionales por dos años. — She is going to serve in international missions for two years. ¿Vamos a servir en esa aldea o en otra? — Are we going to serve in that village or another? Van a servir juntos como equipo en esa región. — They are going to serve together as a team in that region.
Extended Near Future Sentences: All Core -IR Verbs
vivir: Voy a vivir de acuerdo con la Palabra de Dios. — I am going to live according to God’s Word. Van a vivir para dar gloria a Dios. — They are going to live to give glory to God.
escribir: Vamos a escribir los testimonios de lo que Dios ha hecho. — We are going to write the testimonies of what God has done. Va a escribir una carta a los creyentes perseguidos. — He is going to write a letter to persecuted believers.
recibir: Van a recibir al equipo misionero con hospitalidad. — They are going to receive the mission team with hospitality. Vamos a recibir lo que Dios tiene preparado para nosotros. — We are going to receive what God has prepared for us.
decidir: Hoy vas a decidir — ¿sigues a Cristo o no? — Today you are going to decide — do you follow Christ or not? Vamos a decidir en oración, no por presión humana. — We are going to decide in prayer, not under human pressure.
compartir: Voy a compartir mi testimonio en esa reunión. — I am going to share my testimony at that meeting. Van a compartir el evangelio en el barrio más olvidado de la ciudad. — They are going to share the gospel in the most forgotten neighborhood of the city.
sufrir: Vamos a sufrir, pero no estamos solos. — We are going to suffer, but we are not alone. Van a sufrir persecución, pero el Espíritu les dará palabras. — They are going to suffer persecution, but the Spirit will give them words.
pedir: Voy a pedir sabiduría a Dios antes de tomar esa decisión. — I am going to ask God for wisdom before making that decision. Vamos a pedir en el nombre de Jesús y creer que Él responde. — We are going to ask in the name of Jesus and believe that He answers.
sentir: Vas a sentir la paz de Dios cuando ores con fe. — You are going to feel God’s peace when you pray with faith. Van a sentir la presencia de Dios en esa reunión. — They are going to feel God’s presence at that meeting.
ir: Vamos a ir adonde Él nos envíe. — We are going to go where He sends us. ¿Van a ir a la conferencia misionera este año? — Are they going to go to the missionary conference this year?
decir: Voy a decir la verdad aunque no sea popular. — I am going to speak the truth even if it isn’t popular. Van a decir lo que Dios les ha dado para decir. — They are going to say what God has given them to say.
salir: Vamos a salir en misión el próximo mes. — We are going to go out on mission next month. Va a salir de esa situación con la ayuda de Dios. — He is going to come out of that situation with God’s help.
construir: Vamos a construir sobre el fundamento correcto. — We are going to build on the right foundation. Van a construir la iglesia más sólida que esta región ha visto. — They are going to build the most solid church this region has seen.
cumplir: Dios va a cumplir cada promesa que ha hecho. — God is going to fulfill every promise He has made. Vamos a cumplir la Gran Comisión en nuestra generación. — We are going to fulfill the Great Commission in our generation.
traducir: Voy a traducir para que todos puedan escuchar la Palabra. — I am going to interpret so that everyone can hear the Word. Van a traducir la Biblia a ese idioma antes del final de la década. — They are going to translate the Bible into that language before the end of the decade.
Near Future in Commissioning and Sending Language
The near future is particularly common in commissioning services — when a church sends a missionary, a preacher, or a ministry team:
Vas a ir adonde nadie ha querido ir. — You are going to go where no one has wanted to go. Vas a servir a los olvidados y los marginados. — You are going to serve the forgotten and the marginalized. Vas a decir lo que el Señor te dé para decir. — You are going to say what the Lord gives you to say. Vas a sufrir, pero Dios va a estar contigo. — You are going to suffer, but God is going to be with you. Vas a construir lo que el enemigo ha intentado destruir. — You are going to build what the enemy has tried to destroy. Y vas a seguir a Cristo hasta el final. — And you are going to follow Christ to the end.
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1 — Curriculum Sentence Extensions
Take each curriculum sentence and produce five variations, rotating through all five forms of ir:
Voy/Vas/Va/Vamos/Van a seguir a Cristo… ¿Voy/¿Vas/¿Va/¿Vamos/¿Van a servir en esta comunidad?
Exercise 2 — Commissioning Speech
Produce a 6–8 sentence commissioning address in the near future, addressing the person being sent (use vas a). Use at least 6 different -IR verb infinitives.
Exercise 3 — Recognition and Response
A partner reads near future sentences. You identify the -IR verb, give its present yo form (to confirm it’s irregular/stem-changing), then translate:
Voy a seguir a Cristo. → seguir (present: sigo) → “I am going to follow Christ.” Van a decir la verdad. → decir (present: digo) → “They are going to speak the truth.” Vamos a servir juntos. → servir (present: sirvo) → “We are going to serve together.” Va a sentir la presencia de Dios. → sentir (present: siento) → “She is going to feel God’s presence.”
Exercise 4 — Mixed Tense Passage
A partner reads a passage with -IR verbs in multiple tenses. You identify each tense and translate immediately:
Seguimos a Cristo. Vamos a seguir a Cristo. Seguíamos a Cristo cuando éramos niños. Seguimos siendo fieles. ¿Vas a seguir a Cristo esta noche?
Key Takeaways for This Lesson
Before moving to Lesson 13:
- Near future with -IR verbs: ir (present) + a + infinitive — infinitive unchanged
- The curriculum sentences: Voy a seguir a Cristo and ¿Vas a servir en esta comunidad?
- No -IR irregularity applies in the near future — the infinitive bypasses all present-tense complications
- The near future dominates spoken Latin American ministry Spanish — commissioning, invitation, and announcement language runs heavily on it
Daily Practice
Two near future sentences — one using seguir and one using servir:
Hoy voy a seguir a Cristo en… / Vamos a servir…
The near future seguir and servir combination is the discipleship vocabulary pair — following and serving. Say them daily until they are reflex.