iba a ser

was going to be

→ ir

phrase Uncommon #11,466

was going to be Used to talk about a future event from a past point of view. Can also mean 'was supposed to be' depending on context.

SP: Pensé que iba a ser fácil.

EN: I thought it was going to be easy.

Yo iba a ser el hada de azúcar.

I was going to be the Sugar Plum Fairy.

— Lindas y letales (2026)

No iba a ser fácil.

It wasn't going to be easy.

— Tropa de élite (2007)

Iba a ser el campeón del mundo.

He was going to be the world champion.

— F1 la película (2025)

Iba a ser una sorpresa hoy.

It was going to be a surprise today.

— Hasta que llegó su hora (1968)

Y en ese momento supe que iba a ser él.

And at that moment I knew it was going to be him.

— Durante la tormenta (2018)

Escucha, sabías que iba a ser una época horrible.

Listen, you knew it was going to be a horrible time.

— Love Actually (2003)

Y lo iba a ser.

And it was going to be.

Te dije que esto iba a ser peligroso.

I told you this was going to be dangerous.

Tú nos dijiste que esto iba a ser rápido.

You told us this was going to be quick.

Iba a ser sólo por un día.

It was only going to be for one day.

Te dije que iba a ser divertido.

I told you it was going to be fun.

Una pregunta era qué iba a ser yo.

One question was what I was going to be.

Pensé que iba a ser más grande.

I thought it was going to be bigger.

Todo indicaba que iba a ser un día perfecto hasta que empezó la tormenta.

Everything indicated that it was going to be a perfect day until the storm started.

Yo sabía que no iba a ser fácil.

I knew it wasn't going to be easy.

— Doña Clara (2016)

Hoy no iba a ser una excepción.

Today was no exception.

— Los siete samuráis (1954)

Así se suponía que iba a ser.

That's how it was supposed to be.

Yo daba por sentado que él iba a ser un miembro.

I assumed he was going to be a member.

Y eso aquí nunca iba a ser posible.

And that was never going to be possible here.

— Los pecadores (2025)

Iba a ser una cena tranquila pero terminó siendo una fiesta enorme.

It was supposed to be a quiet dinner, but it ended up being a huge party.

América iba a ser la tierra de la tolerancia.

America was going to be the land of tolerance.

Iba a ser mejor ir sin mí.

It would have been better to go without me.

— Estación central de Brasil (1998)

Creía que iba a ser más fácil adaptarse a vivir en otro país.

I thought it would be easier to adapt to living in another country.

No pensé que iba a ser tan cansado.

I didn't think it was going to be so tiring.

— El gatopardo (1963)

Dijiste que el Perla Negra iba a ser mío.

You said the Black Pearl was going to be mine.

Pensé que iba a ser mi día de suerte.

I thought it was going to be my lucky day.

— Deseando amar (2000)

Lo siento, no sabía que esta iba a ser la hora de los niños.

Sorry, I didn't know this was going to be the children's time.

— The Internship (2026)

Es como dijiste que iba a ser.

It's just like you said it was going to be.

Solo iba a ser un acto entre tú y él.

It was just going to be an act between you and him.

— La casa de las dagas voladoras (2004)

Iba a ser una cagada.

It was going to be a disaster.

— Tropa de élite 2 (2010)

Sabía que iba a ser difícil pero no imaginaba cuánto realmente.

I knew it was going to be difficult, but I didn't imagine just how difficult.