Lesson N°

Will or Going to?

Vocabulary

Next week Tomorrow In the near future

Next month Tonight Later this evening

Next year Eventually Next Monday, next …..

A very confusing concept is when to use WILL and when to use BE GOING TO when we refer the future.

Both refer to the future and there is a slight difference between the two though in most cases they can be
used interchangeably with no difference in meaning. Even if you misuse them, a native speaker is going to
understand you without any problems.

«Going to»

El tiempo futuro con «going to» se usa más comúnmente en el lenguaje hablado cuando se quiere hacer
referencia al futuro inmediato, es decir, a algo que está por ocurrir.

Ejemplos:

She is going to pay with a credit card = Ella va a pagar con una tarjeta de crédito (algo que está por ocurrir).

I am going to drop off my prescription over there = Yo voy a dejar mi prescripción médica allá.

También se emplea para hablar de intenciones o planes para hacer algo:

Ejemplo:

I’m going to learn English = Yo voy a aprender inglés.

Se forma con el verbo«to be» conjugado para la persona correspondiente, seguido de«going to» y el verbo
base:

«To be» + «going to» + verbo:

Affirmative Negative

I am going to pay = yo voy a pagar. I am not going to pay = yo no voy a pagar.

You are going to pay = tú vas a pagar. You are not going to pay = tú no vas a pagar.

He is going to pay = él va a pagar. He is not going to pay = él no va a pagar.

She is going to pay = ella va a pagar. She is not going to pay = ella no va a pagar.

It is going to pay = eso va a pagar. It is not going to pay = eso no va a pagar.

We are going to pay = nosotros vamos a pagar. We are not going to pay = nosotros no vamos a pagar.

You are going to pay = ustedes van a pagar. You are not going to pay = ustedes no van a pagar.
They are going to pay = ellos/ellas van a pagar. They are not going to pay = ellos no van a pagar.

Interrogative form: Yes/No question.- Here we use the auxiliary BE and the answer is very short.

Verb P.P. Going to Verb in Complement Answers

to BE infinitive
Am I going to study medicine next year? Yes, I am No, I am not
Are You going to study medicine next year? Yes, I am No, I am not
Is He going to study medicine next year? Yes, he is No, he isn’t
Is She going to study medicine next year? Yes, she is No, she isn’t
Is It going to study medicine next year? Yes, it is No, it isn’t
Are We going to study medicine next year? Yes, we are No, we isn’t
Are You going to study medicine next year? Yes, we are No, we isn’t
Are They going to study medicine next year? Yes, they are No, they isn’t

WH question Here the answer is according to the question and it would be a regular sentence such as an
affirmative or negative sentence.

Question Verb P.P. Going Verb in Complement Answers

word to BE to infinitive
Where am I going to study medicine next year? I am going to study in Canada.
Where are You going to study medicine next year? I am going to study in Canada.
Where is He going to study medicine next year? He is going to study in Canada.
Where is She going to study medicine next year? She is going to study in Canada.
Where is It going to study medicine next year? It is going to study in Canada.
Where are We going to study medicine next year? We are going to study in Canada.
Where are You going to study medicine next year? You are going to study in Canada.
Where are They going to study medicine next year? They are going to study in Canada.

«Will»

El futuro con «will» se utiliza para hablar de decisiones que se toman mientras se habla:

Ejemplos:

I need to get my medicine. I will go to the pharmacy tonight.

Necesito comprar mi medicina. Iré a la farmacia esta noche.

I need some cash. I will pay with my debit card and ask for cash back.
Necesito algo de efectivo. Pagaré con mi tarjeta débito y pediré efectivo de vuelta.

También es usado para decir predicciones de carácter general:

Ejemplos:

I’m sure it will rain tomorrow.

Estoy seguro de que lloverá mañana.

Gerardo Gómez will win the election.

Gerardo Gómez ganará las elecciones.

Se forma con el verbo «will» + verbo:

 Affirmative Negative

I will pay later. Yo pagaré más tarde I will not pay later. Yo no pagaré más tarde

You will pay later. Tú pagarás más tarde You will not pay later. Tú no pagarás más tarde

He will pay later. Él pagará más tarde. He will not pay later. Él no pagará más tarde.

She will pay later. Ella pagará más tarde. She will not pay later. Ella no pagará más tarde.

It will pay later. Esto pagará más tarde. It won’t pay later. Esto no pagará más tarde.
We will pay later. Nosotros pagaremos más tarde. We won’t pay later. Nosotros no pagaremos más tarde.

You will pay later. Ustedes pagarán más tarde. You won’t pay later. Ustedes no pagarán más tarde.

They will pay later. Ellos pagaráns más tarde. They won’t pay later. Ellos no pagaráns más tarde.

Interrogative form

Yes/No question.- Here we use the auxiliary WILL and the answer is very short.

WILL P.P. Verb in Complement Answers

infinitive
Will I study medicine next year? Yes, I will No, I won’t
Will you study medicine next year? Yes, I will No, I won’t
Will he study medicine next year? Yes, he will No, he won’t
Will she study medicine next year? Yes, she will No, she won’t
Will it study medicine next year? Yes, it will No, it won’t
Will we study medicine next year? Yes, we will No, we won’t
Will you study medicine next year? Yes, we will No, we won’t
Will they study medicine next year? Yes, they will No, they won’t

WH question or information questions. Here the answer is according to the question and it would be a
regular sentence such as an affirmative or negative sentence.

Question WILL P.P. Verb in Complement Answers

word infinitive
Where will I study medicine next year? I will study in Canada.
Where will you study medicine next year? I will study in Canada.
Where will he study medicine next year? He will study in Canada.
Where will she study medicine next year? She will study in Canada.
Where will it study medicine next year? It will study in Canada.
Where will we study medicine next year? We will study in Canada.
Where will you study medicine next year? You will study in Canada.
Where will they study medicine next year? They will study in Canada.