Forming ‘be going to’

Conjugation & verb forms of ‘going to’

(Formation of the planned future ‘be going to’)

Formation of ‘to be going to’ for the future

The planned future with to be going to is formed by combining the progressive form (which is the present participle or simply the ing-form) of the verb ‘to go’ with the infinitive (base form) of the respective main verb. Compare the following examples as well as the table below:

  • Example sentences of forming the planned future with ‘to be going to’:
    • “I’m going to clean my bike later.”
    • Are you two going to visit us?”

Verb forms of ‘going to’

Example verb: ‘to run

Positive/affirmative sentences

Person/pronoun Positive Short form Interrogative form Short form of question
I I am going to run. I’m going to run. Am I going to run?
he/she/it He is going to run. He’s going to run. Is he going to run?
we/you/they We are going to run. We’re going to run. Are we going to run?

Negative sentences

Person/pronoun Negative Short form Interrogative form Short form of question
I I am not going to run. I’m not going to run. Am I not going to run? Aren’t* I going to run?
he/she/it He is not going to run. He isn’t going to run.
or
He’s not going to run.
Is he not going to run? Isn’t he going to run?
we/you/they We are not going to run. We aren’t going to run.
or
We’re not going to run.
Are we not going to run? Aren’t we going to run?

* This is a particular form. For the 1st person singular, ‘aren’t’ is used.

Further explanations related to the ‘Future with ‘going to’

The following explanations relate to the topic ‘Formation of the planned future (to be going to)’ and may be helpful too: