Level 2 — Elementary (CEFR: A2)
Unit 7 — Verb Group 3: -IR Verbs
Lesson 5 — Near Future Review
Lesson Overview
Level: 2 — Elementary Unit: 7 — Verb Group 3: -IR Verbs Lesson: 5 of 14 Estimated Time: 30–45 minutes
What this lesson covers:
- Near future (ir + a + infinitive) with -IR verbs
- The curriculum key sentences: Voy a servir en esta iglesia and Vamos a seguir a Cristo
- How the near future sidesteps all -IR present irregularities (the infinitive is used unchanged)
- Extension sentences using the full set of -IR verb infinitives
Near Future: The Infinitive Bypasses All Irregularities
The near future uses the conjugated present forms of ir followed by a and the infinitive. The infinitive is always the unchanged dictionary form — servir, seguir, pedir, decir, oír — regardless of whether the verb is stem-changing or irregular in the present.
This means:
- You do not need to know sirvo to produce voy a servir.
- You do not need to know digo to produce voy a decir.
- You do not need to know oigo to produce voy a oír.
The near future is the simplest path to future meaning for -IR verbs. In Latin American ministry speech, it is used far more than the simple future. Mastery of ir in the present (Lesson 4) plus any -IR infinitive produces fluent near future immediately.
The Curriculum Key Sentences
Voy a servir en esta iglesia.
— I am going to serve in this church.
Servir is stem-changing in the present (sirvo), but in the near future the infinitive servir is used unchanged. The sentence expresses ministerial commitment — a declaration of calling and placement.
Variations: Voy a servir con todo lo que tengo. — I am going to serve with everything I have. Va a servir en esa comunidad por tres años. — He is going to serve in that community for three years. ¿Vas a servir en el ministerio de niños? — Are you going to serve in children’s ministry? Vamos a servir juntos como un equipo. — We are going to serve together as a team. Van a servir en los barrios más pobres de la ciudad. — They are going to serve in the poorest neighborhoods of the city.
Vamos a seguir a Cristo.
— We are going to follow Christ.
Seguir in the present is sigo (yo), but the near future uses the infinitive seguir unchanged. This sentence is a corporate declaration — the plural vamos makes it a communal commitment.
Variations: Vamos a seguir a Cristo sin importar el precio. — We are going to follow Christ no matter the cost. ¿Vas a seguir al Señor aunque el camino sea difícil? — Are you going to follow the Lord even if the path is difficult? Van a seguir la visión que Dios les dio. — They are going to follow the vision God gave them. Voy a seguir orando hasta ver la respuesta. — I am going to keep praying until I see the answer.
Extended Near Future Sentences: All Core -IR Verbs
vivir: Voy a vivir para la gloria de Dios. — I am going to live for the glory of God. ¿Cómo van a vivir su fe en esa comunidad? — How are they going to live their faith in that community?
escribir: Vamos a escribir la visión de la iglesia este año. — We are going to write the church’s vision this year. Va a escribir un libro sobre su experiencia misionera. — He is going to write a book about his missionary experience.
recibir: Vamos a recibir lo que Dios tiene para nosotros. — We are going to receive what God has for us. ¿Van a recibir a los misioneros en su comunidad? — Are they going to receive the missionaries in their community?
decidir: Vas a decidir hoy tu camino. — You are going to decide your path today. Vamos a decidir juntos la dirección del ministerio. — We are going to decide together the direction of the ministry.
compartir: Voy a compartir mi testimonio en esa iglesia. — I am going to share my testimony in that church. ¿Vas a compartir el evangelio con tu familia? — Are you going to share the gospel with your family?
sufrir: Vamos a sufrir, pero también vamos a resucitar con Él. — We are going to suffer, but we are also going to rise with Him.
pedir: Voy a pedir por tu familia en oración. — I am going to pray for your family. Vamos a pedir sabiduría a Dios. — We are going to ask God for wisdom.
sentir: Vas a sentir la paz de Dios cuando ores. — You are going to feel God’s peace when you pray. Vamos a sentir la presencia del Espíritu Santo. — We are going to sense the presence of the Holy Spirit.
ir: Vamos a ir adonde Él nos envía. — We are going to go where He sends us. ¿Vas a ir al campo misionero? — Are you going to go to the mission field?
Note: ir appears as both the auxiliary and the main verb here — vamos a ir. This is grammatically correct and used naturally in Spanish.
decir: Voy a decir la verdad aunque cueste. — I am going to speak the truth even if it costs me. Van a decir que no, pero seguiremos predicando. — They are going to say no, but we will keep preaching.
salir: Vamos a salir en misión el próximo mes. — We are going to go out on mission next month. Va a salir de ese ambiente para seguir a Cristo. — He is going to leave that environment to follow Christ.
oír: Van a oír el evangelio por primera vez en su idioma. — They are going to hear the gospel for the first time in their language. Vamos a oír lo que el Señor quiere decirnos. — We are going to hear what the Lord wants to say to us.
construir: Vamos a construir una iglesia en esa comunidad. — We are going to build a church in that community. Van a construir sobre el fundamento de Cristo. — They are going to build on the foundation of Christ.
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. — We are going to fulfill the Great Commission.
traducir: Voy a traducir para que todos puedan escuchar. — I am going to interpret so that everyone can hear. Van a traducir la Biblia a ese idioma. — They are going to translate the Bible into that language.
Near Future for Invitation and Altar Call
The near future is the dominant tense for invitation language in Latin American preaching. Recognize these patterns as altar call signals:
Si entregas tu vida a Cristo, vas a encontrar lo que buscas. — If you give your life to Christ, you are going to find what you are looking for. Dios va a sanar lo que está roto en ti. — God is going to heal what is broken in you. Vas a salir de aquí diferente. — You are going to leave here different. El Señor va a cumplir sus promesas en tu vida. — The Lord is going to fulfill his promises in your life. ¿Vas a seguir a Cristo esta noche? — Are you going to follow Christ tonight?
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1 — Rapid Near Future Production
A partner calls out an -IR infinitive and a pronoun. You produce the near future immediately:
servir / yo → Voy a servir seguir / nosotros → Vamos a seguir decir / él → Va a decir oír / ellos → Van a oír cumplir / tú → Vas a cumplir
Exercise 2 — The Curriculum Sentences Extended
Take each curriculum sentence (Voy a servir en esta iglesia / Vamos a seguir a Cristo) and produce 5 variations — different pronouns, different objects, different contexts — without repeating any element.
Exercise 3 — Altar Call Practice
Produce a 6–8 sentence altar call invitation using near future forms of -IR verbs. Vary the subjects. Include at least one question.
Exercise 4 — Recognition
A partner reads a passage mixing present tense -IR forms and near future -IR forms. You identify which is which:
Servimos aquí cada domingo. Vamos a servir en una nueva comunidad el mes que viene. Seguimos al Señor con fidelidad. ¿Vas a seguir a Cristo aunque te cueste todo? Cumplimos nuestra misión hoy. Dios va a cumplir sus promesas mañana.
Key Takeaways for This Lesson
Before moving to Lesson 6:
- Near future uses ir (present) + a + infinitive — infinitive is always unchanged
- No irregularity applies to the infinitive — all -IR stem changes and yo-go forms are bypassed
- The curriculum sentences: Voy a servir en esta iglesia and Vamos a seguir a Cristo
- Near future dominates spoken ministry Spanish — prioritize it in production before the simple future
Daily Practice
Two near future sentences today — one using servir and one using seguir:
Hoy voy a servir a… / Vamos a seguir a Cristo en…
These two sentences from the curriculum capture the posture of the minister: service and following. Say them daily until they are reflex.