I need help understanding "VOY"
I don't understand how "Ya me voy" means I'm leaving and "Ya voy" means I'm coming. Can someone give me some rules to go by?
5 Answers
I don't understand how "Ya me voy" means I'm leaving and "Ya voy" means I'm coming. Can someone give me some rules to go by?
"Voy" is the first person singular of the present indicative of "ir", a verb used when the focus is on the specific destination you are moving towards. This verb always requires a destination (implicit or otherwise).
"Me voy" is the first person singular of the present indicative of "irse", a verb used when the focus is on the starting point, which you'll leave by moving away from it . This verb, therefore, does not require a destination, although you can add it if you want.
¿Cuando vienes? - ya me fui.
When are you coming? - I already left.
I really love these videos from this guy on youtube. He helps me understand Spanish really easily. Here's the video for ir.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwre7GpYzLY
You're referring to the difference between what are essentially two different verbs in Spanish. The non-pronomial verb "ir" means basically to go. " voy" is literally "I go" but as in English, go and come can depend on point of view and context. So:
¿Cuando vengas? - Ya voy.
When are you coming? - I'm on my way (literally "I'm already going")
The pronomial verb 'irse" is really a different animal meaning "to leave". In the case of Ir and Irse, the pronomial form is close in meaning to the other but it doesn't have to be. Sometimes they are very different. See for example arrebatar.
So:
¿Cuando vengas? - ya me fui.
When are you coming? - I already left.
I dont try to understand it, I just go with it and don't question it. But If you want here is "Voy" and some of it's regular conjugations....
Ir = To go Voy = I go Vas = You go (Informal) Vamos = We go Van = They go Vaís = You go (Vosotros) Va = You go (Formal)
¡Bienvenido al foro!
