"Going to" Future
Be going to is used to talk about planned intentions and predictions based on present evidence. It is one of the most common ways to express the future in everyday English.
When to use "going to"
- Plans and intentions decided before the moment of speaking: I'm going to study medicine. They're going to move to Barcelona next year.
- Predictions based on visible evidence or current signs: Look at those clouds — it's going to rain. She's going to fall!
- Things that are about to happen: Be careful — you're going to spill that! The film is going to start any minute.
How to form "going to"
I'm going to leave. She is going to call. They're going to study.
I'm not going to go. He isn't going to help.
Are you going to come? Is she going to stay?
Full conjugation
| Subject | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | I'm going to leave | I'm not going to leave | Am I going to leave? |
| You | You're going to leave | You aren't going to leave | Are you going to leave? |
| He / She / It | She's going to leave | She isn't going to leave | Is she going to leave? |
| We / They | They're going to leave | They aren't going to leave | Are they going to leave? |
"Going to" vs. "will" — the key difference
| Use "going to" | Use "will" |
|---|---|
| Pre-planned decision: I'm going to buy a new laptop (already decided) | Spontaneous decision: I'll buy a new laptop (decided just now) |
| Evidence-based prediction: She's going to win — look how well she's playing! | Opinion-based prediction: I think she'll win — she's very talented. |
| Intention: I'm going to learn Japanese this year. | Promise/offer: I'll help you with that. I won't forget. |
A: The printer is broken. B: I'll fix it. (spontaneous offer — will)
A: What are your plans for summer? B: I'm going to travel to Greece. (pre-planned — going to)
Watch out — she's going to drop that! (evidence visible right now)
I think it'll be a great film. (personal opinion — will)
"Going to" vs. present continuous for future
Both going to and the present continuous can describe future plans. The present continuous tends to be used for more specific, fixed arrangements (especially with times and places), while going to expresses intentions more broadly.
I'm going to visit Paris. (general intention)
I'm visiting Paris on the 14th — my flight is booked. (fixed arrangement)
Don't confuse the structure: The structure is be + going to + base verb. Never say I am going to went or She is going to goes. After going to, always use the base form of the verb: going to eat, going to be, going to have.
Spoken English tip: In informal speech, going to is very often pronounced as "gonna". You will hear this constantly in films and conversations. However, in written English — especially formal writing — always write going to in full.