¿A qué hora te vas a casa? What time do you go (in caps) home vs. What time do you leave (in caps) home.
In my experience IR means "to go" and IRSE means "to leave" but this program wants to tell me that ¿A qué hora te vas a casa? might mean "At what do you GO home...." and the translator on the translator on this site agrees....Am I wrong? The dictionary lists IRSE as "to go, to leave" i.e. both things.
12 Answers
Not a bit!
You're saying that if we want to use irse we have to be leaving from somewhere and we use de + starting point.
To say where we are going somewhere, we use Ir + a + destination.
Hmmm, I don't understand Quentin, is this not what I said?
I thought I did.
Actually, I might have added that is focuses on the destination vs the starting point.
However, this is not so easy, as we can also say:
Me voy al cine. ----This would focus on the idea of leaving the house, starting point.
Voy al cine esta tarde.----this focuses on the destination.
one of your examples:
Voy a casa a las cinco de la tarde.-----this expresses more or less the general idea of what you do every afternoon, without more context this is the essence; it can also be interpreted that you want to focus on the destination, not the origin of the trip.
Me voy a casa a las cinco de la tarde.----------this focuses on the fact of leaving the place where you are, even emphasizes the time not the destination. Without more context, this seems to be something you are going to to this afternoon.
Jeezzle:
Sometimes I lose the chronology of events. (I think its an age thing). But, if you were here when Lazarus1907 was still active in the forum, you will know his replies and entries were highly respected. Here is what he had to say in one of his entries about "ir" and "irse". Read it over and see if its any help. If not, just use those two words in the search box and see the large number of entries on the subject. One of them may work for you.
Look at this link ----|> Ir vs Irse by Lazarus
Recuerdos/Regards,
Moe
Hmm, I wonder why you are saying it is incorrect. Oh, I think I am seeing it..
Me voy ya. I am leaving.
me voy. I am leaving.
Voy...makes no sense without a destination.
¿A qué hora te vas a casa? might mean "At what do you GO home...."
Yes, that is it.
to use irse as leave...you have to be inside. So what you are missing here is the preposition:
A qué hora te vas de casa? What time are you leaving?
Ok, tell me if this is clearer.
Ok. So to use IRSE as go you just use something like "Me voy a la escuela". to use IRSE as leave you just use something like "Me voy de la escuela". I am going to the school.
Yes, this is correct.
I hope something answers this.
omg...I am a something now.. jeje
. I still don't see why you would every use IRSE instead of IR to mean go.
The difference is in emphasis mostly.
¿Qué vas a hacer esta tarde?
Voy a la escuela esta tarde.------------emphasises the place you are going to.
You are meeting somebody in the street:
¿Dónde vas? Where are you going to?
Voy a la tienda a comprar. I am going to the shops...-----emphasis on the destiny.
You also use me voy...when you are talking about an immediate action:
¿Qué vas a hacer ahora? Me voy a dormir.
¿Te vienes al cine? No, me voy a la cama, estoy cansado.
¿Te gusta la fiesta? Pues no, me voy de aquí ya mismo. (here it also means leaving...mind the preposition de!!)
NO, me voy a la cama, estoy cansado.
Ok, if you have more questions, don't hesitate to ask. I am not a grammar guru, but I am always willing to do my best
Ok. So to use IRSE as go you just use something like "Me voy a la escuela". to use IRSE as leave you just use something like "Me voy de la escuela". I am going to the school. I am leaving from the school. I hope something answers this. I think I am right. I still don't see why you would every use IRSE instead of IR to mean go.
Voy...makes no sense without a destination .
No puedo decir:,,,, "Bueno, me voy, hasta luego" ? "Tengo que irme, hasta luego" ?
Ok, tell me if this is clearer
Not a bit!
You're saying that if we want to use irse we have to be leaving from somewhere and we use de + starting point.
To say where we are going somewhere, we use Ir + a + destination.
Me voy de la oficina hacía mi casa a las cinco de la tarde. irse+ de+starting point
Voy a casa a las cinco de la tarde. ir + a + destination
Me voy de mi casa hacia mi oficina a las nueve de la mañana.
Voy a trabajo a las nueve de la mañana.
Where are you Heidita? I need to know if what I wrote is correct about IR and IRSE....meaning to go and leave based on destination being listed and not being listed.....thanks..
delete
Irse, it seems, is primarily used as 'to go away', but I'm not sure why you can't just use salir. I have no idea if it's right, but it's what I've gleaned from my time learning Spanish.
Here's what I think....based on what Lazarus wrote or what I could briefly (brevemente) gleam from it...
Ir means to go and Irse means to leave just as I thought but Ir means no starting point is listed and Irse means "from here" as in "Ya me voy" = "I'm leaving now" but "Ya me voy a casa" means "I'm going home now" and the reason for this is because WITHOUT a destination it means I'm leaving and WITH a destination listed it means I'm going to.
IF that is the case then I wonder why you couldn't just say "¿A qué hora vas a casa?" without the "te"
I hope more people will answer. Thanks.
I agree but this program insists that ¿A qué hora te vas a casa? means "what time do you go home?" not "what time do you leave home". I hope some natives will come in here and shed light. Robertico. 
