The verb ir, like its English counterpart to go, has several meanings and sometimes you can´t figure them out by considering indivual parts of the expression. “Ir” is usually used with the preposition a, when it means direction or future time:

Voy a estudiar para la prueba. – I´m going to study for the test.
Voy a la iglesia los domingos por la mañana. – I go to church on Sunday mornings.

Here are some other common uses of ir:

1. Ir en + name of the vehicle – to go, travel (by a certain vehicle)
¿Cómo vas a la escuela? Voy en autobús. (How do you go to school? I go by bus.)

2. Ir para + verb – to go in order to do something
Mi hermano va para conocer los padres de su novia. – My brother is going to meet his girlfriend´s parents.

3. Ir para + job – be likely to become
Juan va para abogado. – Juan is going to become a lawyer.

4. Ir + gerund – to do something, usually slowly or laboriously
Voy aprendiendo español. – I´m learning Spanish (little by little).

5. Ir tirando – to get by, make ends meet
¿Cómo van tus estudios? Voy tirando. (How are you getting along with your studies? Well, I´m getting by.)

6. Ir de – 1. to be about (movie, book); 2. to think about yourself as.
La película Into the Wild va de un muchacho que dejó todo por seguir en un viaje hacia Alaska. (The movie Into the Wild is about a guy who left everything to go on a trip towards Alaska.)
María va de muy inteligente pero por poco no suspende algunas asignaturas. (Maria thinks she´s smart but she almost flunked some subjects.)

7. Ir por – 1. to search for; 2. fetch; 3.to be at a certain point (task)
Vamos por una escuela para nuestra hija. (We´re looking for a school for our daughter.)
Voy a la tienda por leche. (I’m going to the shop to get some milk.)
Maestra, no se preocupe; ya voy por la mitad del libro. Prontito lo termino. (Miss, don´t worry; I´m halfway through the book. I´ll finish it pretty soon.)

8. Irse – to go away
¡Vete de aquí ahora, no quiero verte más! (Go away now, I don´t want to see you anymore!)

See you next time!

Today we´re going to learn some idioms related to body parts.

PELO – hair

No tener pelos en la lengua – not to mince words
Le dije que era un sinvergüenza porque yo no tengo pelos en la lengua. – I told him he was shameless because I don´t mince words.

Poner los pelos de punta – to give someone the creeps
Sólo pensar en el accidente me pone los pelos de punta. – Thinking about the accident gives me the creeps.

Tomarle el pelo a alguien – to pull someone´s leg
Sus amigos le están tomando el pelo. – His friends are pulling his leg.

BRAZO – arm

No dar su brazo a torcer – not to give in, to stand firm
El testarudo de Luis no da su brazo a torcer. – Luis is so stubborn he doesn´t give in.

Cruzarse de brazos – to fold one´s arms, not to do anything
María se cruzó de brazos y esperó a que los demás dejaran de discutir. – María folded her arms (didn´t do anything) and waited for the others to stop arguing.

PIERNA – leg

Dormir a pierna suelta/tendida – to sleep soundly
Estaba tan cansado que durmió a pierna suelta toda la noche. – He was so tired he slept soundly all night long.

Salir por piernas – 1. rush out of a place 2. used to indicate that relationships (usually business) had an unpleasant outcome.

Querían armar un lío en el bar, entonces salimos por piernas. – People wanted to pick up a fuss at the bar, so we rushed out.
Espero que no tengas que salir por piernas de esa empresa. – I hope everything works out at this company.

DEDO – finger

Para chuparse los dedos – delicious, scrumptious
La paella estaba para chuparse los dedos. – The paella was delicious/scrumptious.

Elegir / nombrar a dedo – to give someone a job, arbitrarily
La nueva secretaria fue elegida a dedo. – The new secretary was given the job.