They Aren’t Going To Travel Next January In Spanish | Say It

Ellos no van a viajar el próximo enero; suena natural cuando el plan ya está decidido.

You’re trying to say one plain idea: a group has a settled plan not to take a trip in January. Spanish can do that in a clean, everyday way. The trick is picking the verb form that matches “aren’t going to,” then choosing a time phrase that sounds right where your reader lives.

Below you’ll get copy-ready lines, the grammar behind them, and a handful of swaps that keep the meaning steady while changing tone. No fluff, just what you need to write it once and move on.

What the sentence means in plain English

In English, “They aren’t going to travel next January” carries two pieces at once: a later plan and a negative. It’s not only “They won’t travel,” it’s also “That plan is already off the table.” The “going to” part points to intention and a decision that’s already been made.

Spanish has a near match for that plan-feel: ir a + infinitivo (“to be going to do something”). You’ll often see it in speech and in writing that wants a direct, conversational tone.

Saying They Aren’t Going To Travel Next January In Spanish In Real Speech

If you want one line that works in most neutral contexts, start here:

• Ellos no van a viajar el próximo enero.

That single sentence maps the pieces neatly:

• Ellos = “They” (often optional in Spanish, more on that soon)
• no = “aren’t” (the negation marker)
• van a viajar = “are going to travel”
• el próximo enero = “next January”

If you like a slightly lighter feel, common in many regions:

• No van a viajar el próximo enero.

Spanish often drops the subject pronoun when the verb already tells you who is acting. “Van” signals third-person plural, so the listener can hear “they” without seeing ellos. You can still keep ellos when you need contrast, like “They aren’t going, but we are.”

Why “no van a viajar” matches “aren’t going to travel”

English uses “going to” as a helper for planned later time. Spanish often does the same with ir a + infinitivo. The Real Academia Española describes this construction as a verbal periphrasis with temporal and aspect uses, including intention with action verbs. That’s why van a viajar feels like a plan, not a guess. RAE: “Ir a + infinitivo” as a periphrasis lays out those uses.

A small detail that saves errors: keep the a. Native speakers don’t say van viajar in standard Spanish. The preposition is part of the structure. RAE note on “ir a + infinitivo” points out that the a should not be dropped.

Picking the right “next January”

“Next January” has a hidden fork. If it’s March and you mean January of the coming year, el próximo enero works. If it’s late December and you mean the January that’s almost here, many speakers still say el próximo enero, yet some prefer este enero or en enero with context to avoid any wobble.

In many countries, you’ll also hear en enero que viene (“in January that’s coming”). It’s informal and clear in conversation.

When to use the simple -rá form instead

Spanish also has a one-word form that can carry later time: viajarán (“they will travel”). In a negative, it becomes no viajarán. This can sound firm, and it can read more formal, depending on the region and the sentence around it.

Use it when you want a crisp statement of what will not happen, not the feel of a plan being set. Think announcements, policies, or public statements.

• No viajarán en enero.
• No viajarán el próximo enero.

In second-language writing, it helps to know that these two tense options overlap but don’t always feel the same. The Instituto Cervantes’ CVC forum thread on ir a + infinitivo talks about how learners meet it and where it fits as later-time reference. CVC: “Ir a + infinitivo” uses is a solid quick read.

How to keep “they” clear without overusing “ellos”

English needs the subject pronoun in this sentence. Spanish often doesn’t. That can feel odd at first, so it helps to know the pattern:

• If the verb ending already tells the person and number, Spanish can omit the subject.
• Add the subject pronoun when you need contrast, emphasis, or to avoid confusion with another group.

So these both work, with a small difference in feel:

• No van a viajar el próximo enero. (default)
• Ellos no van a viajar el próximo enero. (contrast or emphasis)

If the prior sentence mentions “Juan y Marta,” you can also replace ellos with the names for extra clarity, which often reads smoother than repeating a pronoun.

Table of ready-to-use translations and tone shifts

Use the table as a menu. Pick the row that matches your context and the kind of Spanish you want on the page.

Spanish sentence	When it fits	Notes
Ellos no van a viajar el próximo enero.	Neutral statement about a decided plan	Good default across regions
No van a viajar el próximo enero.	Conversation, short captions	Subject understood from van
No van a viajar en enero que viene.	Casual speech, friendly tone	Common in many Latin American settings
Ellos no van a viajar en enero.	When “which January” is clear from context	Drop próximo if the timeline is already set
No viajarán el próximo enero.	Announcements, firm statements	One-word -rá form feels more formal
No tienen pensado viajar el próximo enero.	When you want “they don’t plan to”	Shifts from “going to” to “plan to”
Por ahora, no van a viajar el próximo enero.	When plans could change later	Adds a “for now” buffer without changing the tense
Este próximo enero no van a viajar.	When you want to front-load the date	Word order change for emphasis

Small grammar choices that change the feel

Once you have the core sentence, you can tune it with small switches. These don’t change the meaning much, but they can make your Spanish sound more like the setting you’re writing for.

“El próximo enero” vs “en enero”

El próximo enero spells it out. It’s helpful when the month matters for planning, budgets, or schedules. En enero works when the year is already known. A travel blog post might say en enero if the whole paragraph is about the coming year.

“Van a viajar” vs “viajarán”

Van a viajar carries the plan angle. Viajarán can feel more like a forecast or a statement from outside the plan. In some contexts, the simple -rá form can also signal probability rather than intention, so choose it when you want a firmer “will.”

“No van a viajar” vs “No van a ir de viaje”

Both can work. Viajar is the clean verb. Ir de viaje sounds a bit more like “to go on a trip.” It can be handy if your reader is learning travel phrases.

Common mistakes that make the sentence sound off

These slips show up a lot in learner writing. Fixing them keeps your Spanish tight.

Dropping the “a” in “ir a”

No van viajar is a common error. Standard Spanish needs van a viajar. If you’re editing learner content, this is one of the first things to scan for.

Using “no están yendo” for “aren’t going to”

No están yendo a viajar reads like “They aren’t going (right now) to travel,” which is odd. The progressive form estar + gerundio talks about an action in progress, not a plan. For later plans, stick to ir a + infinitivo or the simple -rá form.

Forgetting agreement in “próximo”

Months are masculine in Spanish, so it’s el próximo enero, not la próxima enero.

Table that breaks the English sentence into Spanish parts

If you’re teaching, writing a lesson, or creating subtitles, this breakdown helps you swap pieces without rewriting the whole thing.

English piece	Spanish choices	Tip
They	(omit), ellos, ellas	Omit it unless you need contrast
aren’t going to	no van a, no van a ir a	No van a pairs well with an infinitive
travel	viajar, ir de viaje	Viajar is the safest default
next January	el próximo enero, en enero que viene	Pick the phrase your audience expects
for now	por ahora, de momento	Use it when plans are not locked
anymore	ya no	Place ya near the verb for clarity
because of work	por trabajo	Short reason phrases often skip articles

Copy-ready versions for common situations

Use these as drop-in lines. Swap the subject, the month, or the reason without changing the structure.

Neutral statement

No van a viajar el próximo enero.

With a reason

No van a viajar el próximo enero por trabajo.

With contrast

Ellos no van a viajar el próximo enero, pero nosotros sí.

With a softer edge

Por ahora, no van a viajar el próximo enero.

More formal

No viajarán el próximo enero.

A quick way to check if your Spanish sounds natural

Before you publish, read the line out loud. If it feels heavy, trim the subject pronoun. If the time phrase feels vague, switch to el próximo enero. If you’re writing for learners, keep the full version once, then show the shorter version right after it.

For a clean reminder that the a belongs in the structure, the University of Piura’s language notes also state the preposition is obligatory in these cases. Castellano Actual note on “voy a…” forms shows that point with clear examples.

Last pass checklist before you hit publish

• Use no van a viajar when you want the plan feel.
• Use no viajarán when you want a firmer, more formal line.
• Keep a in van a.
• Pick el próximo enero or en enero que viene based on your audience.
• Drop ellos unless you need contrast.

If you only need one final sentence to paste into a caption or a worksheet, this one stays clean and widely understood:

Ellos no van a viajar el próximo enero.