Going to is a phrase we use to talk about future plans or predictions. When you say “I'm going to visit my grandparents tomorrow,” you're announcing your intention to do something. When you say “It's going to rain,” you're predicting what will happen based on what you see or know.

The phrase combines the verb “going” with “to” and another verb. It's one of the most common ways English speakers talk about the future, alongside using “will.” There's a subtle difference: “going to” often sounds more definite or planned. “I'm going to study tonight” suggests you've already decided, while “I will study tonight” might sound like you're deciding right now.

In casual speech, people often contract it to “gonna,” though this spelling rarely appears in formal writing. You might hear a friend say, “I'm gonna get a snack,” which means the same as “I'm going to get a snack.”

The phrase can also express something that seems inevitable or about to happen: “The tower of blocks is going to fall!” means you can see it wobbling and predict what happens next.