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Question

“Ir” (To Go) vs “Irse” (to Leave)

................(Think of them as different verbs.)................

  The side by side comparison here is the result of combining two replies previously written by Lazarus1907 as answers to questions posted by members. If you are interested in reading each of his replies, you can find them here:

May 19, 2009, and October 8, 2009

Here is the comparitive summary of his replies:

"Ir" (to go [to])	"Irse" (to leave [from])
"Ir" always requires a destination, it focuses on the destination. Identifying any starting location is purely optional.	"Irse" implies leaving a starting location, it focuses on the starting point. Identifying any destination is purely optional.
If you say "Tengo que ir" , your focus is on the destination, but you haven't even mentioned one. "I have to go to..." (silence). The sentence is incomplete. Saying simply "Voy" (I go), without a clear destination, is almost like saying "I require", and stop there. "You require... what''? You can only say "Voy" if the destination has been previously established.	If you say "Tengo que irme", ("I have to leave.") your focus is on the starting point, and no one expects any specific destination. You are just leaving the place, that's all. You may, optionally add a destination, as in "Me voy al bar" (I am leaving for the bar"), but the starting point is still "here" the place where you are now, and it is the main focus.
"Ir" usually goes with prepositions indicating destination, like "a" or "hacia". It also used to indicate the transport used (en tren, a pie,...), but there is always an implicit destination. The starting point is optional.	"Irse" assumes there is a starting point, from where we leave, so it normally uses prepositions like "de" or "desde" to indicate this. The destination is optional.
In "Siempre vamos al cine los viernes"; the destination is the cinema, but there is no information regarding the starting point. You can also say "Vamos de Madrid a Segovia", which also indicates the starting point, but the important thing is still the destination.	In "Me voy" (I am leaving"), the starting point is "here" (where you are when you say it), but the destination is not stated.

Answer 1

Heidita:

Miré a sus respuestas.	I looked at your replies.
Creo que todo está incluido en el resumen comparativo.	I think everything is included in the comparitive summary.
Estoy transfiriendo el resumen de la sección de referencia.	I am transferring the summary to the reference section.

Como Siempre/As ever,

Moe

Reference Page Link ----> Ir vs Irse

I personally don't think so, neiter did jeezle, he posted the question, I included the link. But anyway...if you think so... - 00494d19, Nov 27, 2009

I don't understand. What did Jeezle and now you think was missing from Lazarus' replies?? - Moe, Nov 27, 2009

Answer 2

Moe, please include with your own words what I said here. The question arose when irse was used as "to leave" , and when it was used as "to go to"

Me voy de Madrid.

me voy a Madrid.

Me entiendo. Voy a hacerlo. - Moe, Nov 27, 2009