Inklingo

vais

VAH-eess/ˈbajs/

vais means you go in Spanish ((plural, informal, used in Spain)).

you go

Also: you are going
VerbA1irregular ir
Latin America (General)Spain
A colorful storybook illustration showing three stylized figures walking briskly away from the viewer down a winding green path toward the distance, symbolizing movement and departure.
infinitiveir
gerundyendo
past Participleido

📝 In Action

¿A dónde vais de vacaciones este año?

A1

Where are you (all) going for vacation this year?

Vosotros vais al cine, ¿verdad?

A1

You guys are going to the cinema, right?

Si vais a la tienda, comprad leche.

A2

If you (all) go to the store, buy milk.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • marcháis (you leave/depart (plural, informal, Spain))
  • os dirigís (you head towards (plural, informal, Spain))

Antonyms

  • venís (you come (plural, informal, Spain))

Common Collocations

  • vais a haceryou are going to do (future intention)
  • ¿vais bien?are you alright?/are you doing well?

Idioms & Expressions

  • vais de cabezayou are heading straight for trouble/disaster

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedva
yovoy
vas
ellos/ellas/ustedesvan
nosotrosvamos
vosotrosvais

imperfect

él/ella/ustediba
yoiba
ibas
ellos/ellas/ustedesiban
nosotrosíbamos
vosotrosibais

preterite

él/ella/ustedfue
yofui
fuiste
ellos/ellas/ustedesfueron
nosotrosfuimos
vosotrosfuisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedvaya
yovaya
vayas
ellos/ellas/ustedesvayan
nosotrosvayamos
vosotrosvayáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedfuera/fuese
yofuera/fuese
fueras/fueses
ellos/ellas/ustedesfueran/fuesen
nosotrosfuéramos/fuésemos
vosotrosfuerais/fueseis

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "vais" in Spanish:

you go

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: vais

Question 1 of 1

If you are in Mexico and want to ask a group of friends where they are going, which word should you use instead of 'vais'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
hacéissabéis
📚 Etymology

The verb *ir* (the base of *vais*) is one of the oldest and most irregular verbs in Spanish. Its forms, including *vais*, are actually a mix of three different Latin verbs: *ire* (to go), *vadere* (to go, hasten), and *esse* (to be, which contributed to its past tense forms like *fui*). This mixing is why it looks so different in its various tenses.

First recorded: Forms of the verb *ir* have been in continuous use since Vulgar Latin evolved into Spanish (around the 10th-12th centuries).

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: vaisCatalan: vau

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'vais' formal or informal?

'Vais' is the informal way to address a group of people (like 'you guys' or 'y'all'). In Spain, you would use it with friends or family. For formal situations, you would always use 'ustedes van'.

Why is the imperative form 'id' and not 'vais'?

The command form (imperative) for 'vosotros' is often very different from the present tense form. For *ir*, the command is 'id' ('Go!' to a group), while 'vais' is only used for stating a fact ('You go').