IR in Portuguese (to go)

I always wanted to have a quick summary of all the most common ways the verb IR in Portuguese is used. Se você aprender todos desse formas, você já saberia mais sobre o verbo IR do que a maioria dos brasileiros 😉

The Present Tense of IR

IR in Portuguese in it's simplest form - the present tense, is used to say things like,
I'm going to ju-jitsu on Sunday. » Eu vou no jiu-jitsu no domingo.
She goes to the office dressed like a professional. » Ela vai ao escritório vestido de profissional.
We always go to school together. » Sempre nós vamos à escola juntos.
*Just like all the other SUPER USEFUL, ESSENTIAL, INDISPENSABLE Portuguese verbs, IR is very (very) irregular.

IR in Portuguese not only means "to go" - it's also your KEY to talking about the future! In the same way that we use "will", Portuguese uses IR.

Ele vai pagar o almoço. » He's going to pay for lunch.
Eu vou fazer uma festa no sábado. » I'm going to have a party on Saturday.
Eles vão chegar de carro. » They're going to come by car.
Vocês vão sair hoje a noite? » Are you going out tonight?

All of these examples use IR followed by another verb in the infinitive.

The Present Progressive of IR

In the present progressive tense IR becomes INDO. It translates as GOING.

You'll always use it together with ESTAR. Like this:

Eu estou indo para trabalho agora mesmo. » I'm to work right now.
Você está indo para a praia? » Are you headed to the beach?
Estou indo para falar com ela sobre nossa relacionamento. Medo!!! » I'm gonig to talk with her about our relationship. Scary!!!

Use it just when you are in the act of going somewhere/doing something.

IR in the Simple Past

Eu fui ao show. » I went to the show.
Ela foi à praia. » She went to the beach.
Nós fomos ao consulado. » We went to the consulate.

IR in the Imperfect Past

*This is the Imperfect Indicative tense - also called the Preterit Imperfect.
Use this tense to say, used to go & would (always) go.
Eu sempre ia para aquele restaurant. » I always used to go to that restaurant.
Quando era uma criança você ia para uma escola pública. » When you were a kid you went to a public school.
Nós íamos no McDonald's todo sábado. » We would go to McDonald's every Saturday.

IR in the Conditional

The conditional of IR expresses would go.
Eu iria mas estou ocupado. » I would go but I'm busy.
Ela iria mas quer ficar em casa. » She would go but wants to stay home.
Nós iríamos se tivéssemos tempo. » We'd go if we had time.

IR in the Present Subjunctive

The present subjunctive is just used to convey doubt and uncertainty in the present tense.
Espero que ele vá embora logo. » I hope that he leaves soon.
Ela não quer que ela vá embora. » She doesn't want him to leave.

IR in the Future Subjunctive

In the future subjunctive IR takes on the meaning of, will go.
Quando eu for viajar vou gastar muito dinheiro! » When I travel I'll spend a lot of money!
Se você for para o show me avisa. » If you go to the show let me know.

IR in the Imperfect Subjunctive

In the imperfexct subjunctive IR takes on the meaning of, were to go. It's used when the likely hood of something happening was extremely low.
Se eu fosse brasileiro, falaria Português. » If I were Brazilian I'd speak Portuguese.
Se ela fosse minha eu ficaria feliz. » If she were mine I would be happy.

Listen to this exchange. They're using IR in different contexts:

Você voltou muito tarde ontem.
Voltei tarde, sim.
Mãe, eu vou embora.
Mas sua aula é só às dez e meia, filha.
Mãe, eu vou pro (para o) Rio de Janeiro.
O quê? Do que é que você está falando, Bianca?!
Rio-de-Janeiro, mãe. Eu quero ir para lá. Eu vou para lá. Eu estou indo para o 
Rio, mãe. E eu vou agora.
Mas, Bianca! Minha filha! O que está acontecendo? Me conta!