Do natives really take into account the difference between "will" and "going to" in daily talk?

Yes. I personally would never say “will” unless it’s a response to something (and I think others share the same sentiment?) I would say “I’m gonna do this today and I’m gonna do that tomorrow.” If someone asks me “when are you gonna do that”, I would reply with “I’ll do it today” or “I’ll do it tomorrow.” To me, it just sounds weird to say “I will” or “I’ll” unless I’m replying to something and usually using pronouns like “it.”

Not for predictions. But will for decisions and going to for plans is usually followed.

Well, there are two options. The first is that we really do use them appropriately in informal speech without even thinking about it or even necessarily being able to explain it, the second is that we just lie and say we do because we think it's funny to confuse ELLs. Which do you think is more likely? Yes, we all use it correctly in context all the time, from early childhood, even if we're not really able to articulate why one feels right or wrong. Sarcasm aside, some dialects even have another way of [indicating the future](https://ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/fixin-to). > How much of a difference does it make in meaning if you use one over another? Mmm, depends on what you're saying, but I can't really think of a situation where people will call out one option or the other as being wrong. Just a little odd, at most. Give some sample sentences and I'll give my intuition. (Oh, there's one. "Going to" is very wrong in that sentence, possibly because I'm asking you to do a thing and since I don't know if you'll do it I cannot really plan to do something in exchange.)

They mean the same thing. In my experience, there’s a subtle difference in that “will”happens more often than “going to”. But in general speech, they’re the same.

No we don't. My grandparents would say "I shall". These days everyone says "I will", and they mean that they fully intend to do the thing.

We don't think about it consciously, but after years of use we instinctively know which to use in which situation. Much as you also instinctively know how to use grammartical features of your first language that seem complex or opaque to second-language learners.

yeah I feel like if you are trying to sound American you should really go with “I’m going to” like 90% of the time. Maybe “I’ll” but almost never “I will.”

I imagine there may be contexts where they could have different connotations, but no simple examples come to mind at this moment, and broadly speaking, they mean the same thing.

My thoughts appear already fully formed, in english. The place they come from is a mystery to me and I'm not sure if I have any influence on them, or if I just get to watch. I do not control the grammar, but I use "going to" much more than "will."

Will is more formal Going to means now or soon. Maybe not. Someday, I’m going to college! It sounds more earnest? Also, if you are using will, it’s usually the contraction. No one says I will go to the store. I’m going to the store later or I’ll go to the store tomorrow. Just spitballing. I don’t know any rules about this

As an English teacher, this is the best example I've been able to come up with to illustrate the importance (in some but not all cases) of differentiating between the two: Imagine a man gets down on one knee before his girlfriend and asks, "Are you going to marry me?"

This could be a question I never thought of before. Cuz most natives just use whatever sounds right in the moment. Half the time 'going to' becomes 'gonna' anyway.

There are instances where either option is about equally good, and there are instances where one option is better (more appropriate, more natural, etc.) than the other. Native speakers generally navigate this intuitively without giving it much thought.

Generally, no, we don't worry about that difference. In most situations, they are interchangeable.

Like everything in communication, it depends on context. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Context is key.

I never have. It wasn't until reading about English learning that I was told there was supposed to be a difference. In other words, I don't think there is a difference.

“Will” is spontaneous decisions and general predictions. “Going to” is for intentions

There is some minor difference between the two, but as a native speaker, I'd struggle to put my finger on it. Will seems more formal. Going to seems slightly less formal. You can also use the present tense of a verb: "Tomorrow, I'm staying home." "Next year I'm starting university." Will can be used for emphasis, whereas going to cannot. "I know you won't remember my birthday." "I will remember it!"

"Be going to do" Usage1: Plan or Decision Already Made Example: Yesterday, I decided to buy a new car. → Today I met my friends and said, *"I'm going to buy a new car."* Usage2: Prediction (Evidence-Based, Objective) Example: Look at the sky! It's covered with dark clouds. → *It's going to rain.* The traffic is terrible. → *We're going to be late.* You're driving too fast. Look out! → *We're going to crash!* "Will" Usage1: Willingness or Temporary Decision Example: You're walking on the road when you hear an old man say, *"It's heavy."* You make a spontaneous decision and tell him, *"I'll help you."* Usage2: Prediction (Based on Personal Experience, Subjective) Example: She will be angry if you come. I guess you will win. You will be sick if you keep eating ice cream. Don't let him drive your car. He's a terrible driver. He'll crash it. Note: Some English grammar books say that "be going to" and "will" are interchangeable when expressing predictions. So it often depends on personal preference how you use them.

I was confused by you using the word "Natives". Natives means indigenous people; specific ethnic groups. Don't call people Natives, say Native English speakers lol. 

It's not something we actively think about, but there are differences in when each is used and we instinctively know which one to use.

"will" is also used in promises, or when making predictions about the future. "going to" would be the usual go to construction to express something you're going to do in the future

Yeah for some reason "will" sounds like a guarantee

Yes, we actually use them with certain rules. No, most don't consciously know those rules.

To be honest, I’ve looked at the rules given to English as a second language learners, and they make no sense to me. For me, and for the people who surround me, native English speakers in the US Midwest, “going to” is used for almost all discussion of future plans, tentative or set. “I haven’t decided if I’m going to clean my room tomorrow.” “I’m absolutely going to clean my room tomorrow, it’s a mess.” If I am speaking with certainty about plans, I can use the present tense with a future time frame. “I am hiking tomorrow, do you want to come?” The only clear rule I can find for “will” is it is used when you are offering to do something and are looking for acceptance. “I will meet you at the park, if that’s a good spot”.

'I will' is currently used as a more emphatic declaration of intent. However, it used to be interchangeable with 'I'm going to', and 'I shall' was the more emphatic version. 'I shall' is rarely used these days though.

Yes. We don’t need to “take into account” the difference because we intrinsically know the different meaning, just like any other item of vocabulary from your native language that you’ve learnt naturally growing up. Many native speakers find it hard to explain grammar and vocabulary items because they haven’t studied them in an explicit way, they just know how to use language instinctively. It’s a very peculiar aspect of the human brain. P.S. use “going to” when you’ve already decided and “will” if you’re deciding now, on the spot (there are some exceptions of course, but “going to” denotes an intention while “will” is more spontaneous, but it’s also used for promises and polite requests. Both can be used for predictions but “going to” tends to be based on visible evidence. Compare “*(Look at those dark clouds) it’s going to rain!*” to “*(I think) it’ll rain*”

Both words have several meanings... let's focus only on the meanings that overlap. They both mean FOR SURE - 100% The only difference is WHEN the decision is made. WILL - just decided NOW. ex. Ahh he's not here! I'll call him now. GOING TO - already decided previously. ex. I'm going to Japan next week. In most casual cases, the detail of WHEN it was decided is not important, therefore it's fine to use them interchangeably. It only starts to matter when the time of deciding IS important... ex. If someone brings an issue to you unexpectedly.. and you say "Yeah OK I'm going to fix it" - it can be confusing to the first person because they may think "has he already planned on fixing it before I mentioned? How would he know? I've just told him!" Of course, there are other contexts/definitions of WILL and GOING TO - different story!

I don’t know how the difference is usually taught in classes for English learners, but you’re right that there are MANY situations where both work and both feel natural. For me, going to/gonna is the default if either would work. And to complicate things further (sorry) we also frequently use present progressive to talk about the future. If I had to guess, I’d say I probably use this even more than going to but it’s hard to say. Something that often stands out to me in nonnative speakers is overuse of “will.” Not that it’s wrong to use it - your meaning is still clear - but it just isn’t how a native speaker would say it. Also, when native speakers use will future, we nearly always contract it except for emphasis. Same with gonna/going to.

[British native speaker here, Southern Standard dialect] A) As a non native speaker feel free to keep confusing them, people will know what you mean. B) They are different tenses, not helped by the fact that "I'm going" is another tense entirely. Unfortunately, looking it up, there's no technical term beyond *going-to future*, and Wikipedia backs up consensus here on no clear line existing. You might look at it as expressing prospective aspect: that is, where the perfect tense expresses the present consequences of a past action, *going to* instead expresses the future consequences of a present action. So it can be used in the subjunctive as well, *if he doesn't stop drinking he's going to throw up*, as well as a simpler near-future *tomorrow he's going to swear off drinking*. Actually Wikipedia is pretty good on the going-to construction.

Native speakers don't follow rules. Instead, the rules try to follow native speakers. So, yes, if the rules are complicated then it's because we use those words in a complicated way. Native speakers here are giving incorrect answers because we don't always know how we speak. I see a lot of comments about how the "will" and "going to" are the same, and they never use "will". However, that's just not true. Consider a team playing a video game: "Okay, who's going to fight the monster while I get the sword?" "I will." Even the people here who claim that "will" is formal and they never use it, will use it in that answer, because it's subtly different from "I'm going to". "I will" means you're volunteering to do it. It wasn't something that everyone already knew. But if you had said "I'm going to" that means you had already decided to do it even before the question was asked.

As a native speaker, I could not tell you what the difference is. In my mind, they are equal

There are 3 levels: "I will...", "I'll...", "I'm going to..." * "I will go to the store tomorrow" sounds like "I am dead certain/I am absolutely planning on/the plans are already in motion". It sounds solid, like you are committed to it. All the information and knowledge you have says that you will go to the store tomorrow and *nothing* will get in the way. * "I'll go to the store tomorrow" sounds like there's a sense of obligation of needing to go to the store shortly. Like you know there's something you need to get from the store and so you'll be going tomorrow. * "I'm going to the store" or "I'm going to the store tomorrow" sounds like "My intention is to go to the store and I may be currently in the process of going to the store now/tomorrow but something else could happen or go on and I don't end up making it to the store" Same thing like this: * "I will do the project" = "this is my guarantee that I will complete the project and be devoted to it the whole time until it is finished" * "I'll do the project" = "I'm volunteering myself to be the person responsible for getting it done" * "I'm going to do the project" = "I plan on doing the project at some point, probably"

There’s essentially no difference. The main distinction is the opportunities they present for placing stress through accenting - you can communicate nuances with ‘I’m GOING to do it’ vs ‘I AM going to do it’ vs ‘I WILL do it’. Neutrally stressed I don’t really hear any difference in meaning.  There *is* a difference between ‘not going to’ and ‘will not’. ‘Will not’ is much more insistent.  There might be a subtle difference of meaning when used in a question - ‘will you do it?’ Vs ‘are you going to do it?’ - about the degree to which the person is making a short term commitment - but it’s very light. 

Absolutely

Predictions “Will” - predictions not based on evidence “Going to” - predictions based on evidence. Examples of Predictions “The plane will crash” - gut feeling, nothing’s immediately giving the speaker indication of a crash. “The plane is going to crash” - engine dropped, wing is broken in half. Future Intent “Will” - things decided in or near the moment of speaking “Going to” - things planned well before speaking Examples of Future Intent “I’ll clean out the garage” - the speaker decided to clean the garage around the time of speaking, likely in a response to a question about what they want to do today or maybe after being asked to do so or as a part of a group (i.e who’s gonna help clean the house?) “I’m gonna clean out the garage” - preplanned action, the speaker was potentially asked something about their weekend plans, and had already decided to clean the garage well before the time of being asked.

Hey there! I LITERALLY JUST had this conversation with one of my students. As a native speaker, we instinctively know the right answer but we don't know why. But the actual reason is - did you JUST think about what you'll do, or did you have a PLAN? "Hey Jim, you're right. I'll send you the link now instead of later." (Will = I just thought of it) "I'm going to Spain for my birthday." (Going to - It was my plan.)

Native speakers of a language never really think about the rules of their language as they have been described in language learning text books. I've only ever started thinking about the difference between "will do" and "going to do" since it was mentioned to me by an English teacher I met in Germany. Before that, I never even noticed that they both existed to describe future events in English. The difference between them is pretty minor to me. Almost any situation that uses one can be rephrased to use the other without distorting the meaning. "I'm going to move to Spain" and "I'll move to Spain" both sound grammatically correct however the first sounds a bit more like you're trying to imply you've been planning this for a while whereas the second sounds a bit more like you've just decided. It's very easy to confuse myself when thinking too hard about this because the difference between the two is so minor. In order to properly know the difference, however minor it may be, you just have to listen to hundreds of hours of dialog like native speakers have and slowly work out the patterns for yourself.

Yes

I was actually thinking about this recently, and I had a really difficult time putting my finger on when to use “will” and when to use “going to.” “Going to” seems to be best when you have a specific and definite intent within a fairly specific timeframe with a direct line of events from now to the future event. “I’m going to go out tonight,” or “I’m going to buy some groceries later.” Or even “I’m going to retire next year,” even though it’s a year away. It’s part of a planned series of events beginning with now, even if that series of events isn’t part of the conversation. “Will” seems best as a more ambiguous, hypothetical plan. And for this reason it’s also used as a response to a question or a reaction to something where you have to make a new plan. “I think I’m going to start looking for a new car, and I’ll probably buy one in the fall.” “What are you going to do if you get fired?” “I guess I’ll have to find a new job.” Or “hey we’re out of milk.” “Alright, I’ll stop at the store on the way home.”

There’s basically zero difference in meaning, so you will almost certainly be understood regardless of which you use - but somehow there’s a big difference in which I’d use naturally. For example, having typed that sentence, I would never have used “you’re almost certainly going to be understood”, but it’s equally meaningful. I think the difference to me is that I will (in this case, that’s because it’s habitual) use “going to” to describe my own plans, and “will” to describe collaborative/joint plans? “I’m going to go shopping, do you want anything?” Vs “I’ll do the shopping, you’ll do the cooking, sound good?” I think this explains why “will” feels more natural in formal/work speech, too: work talk is all about collaborative planning, so that everyone can get their job done. “I’m going to email Kathy to see if she knows anything” (Kathy’s knowledge may be able to help me but it probably not relevant to you) vs “I’ll email Kathy in case she knows anything” (and then we can figure it out from there). There’s also timing. If something is happening soon, I’m more likely to use “going to”; if it’s happening in the nebulous future I’m most likely to use “am [verb]ing” (or more formally/planning-ly “will”). “I’m going to drive home now” vs “I’m driving home for Christmas” vs “I will drive home for Christmas on the 20th [implies the listener needs this information]”.

What’s your native language? Spanish also differentiates between “will” and “going to”.

I feel like I do but I can’t really explain what the difference is. I think maybe *will* carries more weight, like I’m stating my resolve to do something. Most of the time, I use going to (really *gonna*). I may even let slip a “I’m going to go” before I say “I will”.

As others have said, the differences are so subtle that most native speakers can’t even explain, it’s just intuition of which one better fits the situation. But I would also say that in probably 90%+ of scenarios, they are so interchangeable that I don’t think anyone would even notice a difference if you used one in place of the other. I doubt I would even suspect someone is a non-native speaker based on their choice between these two phrases alone.

I will answer your question, but I’m going to take a shit first. As a native speaker I don’t have to think about this distinction to properly use it, but I also don’t really associate the two together anyway. Each has different use cases and sometimes different meanings. Example with “going to”: I’m going to finish that entire cake today. I’m going to the dildo store. The first instance conveys intention for a future activity. The second conveys traveling to a location and is acting more as a verb. “Will” can also be used in several different contexts: Will you join us for the sacrificial ceremonies? I will be there tonight. I will not. “Will” is also typically associated with intentions and future actions, but can also be a noun (like will power). But you can also be cheeky and combine them or swap them: I will be going to the sacrificial ceremonies tonight. I’m going to be there tonight. All in all, there are plenty of contexts that either can be used in, and sometimes there can be overlap. From the examples I used, what DOESN’T work interchangeably is this: I going to not. This is a direct swap with “I will not.” But you could slightly adjust it to make it work: I’m not going to. But this also ends up being improper grammar because it ends with a preposition. Anyway I’ve rambled long enough, hopefully this helps somehow

I tend to use "I will" by itself in response to a question. So like, "I am going to do \[xyz\] tomorrow..." It a statement I'd make. But if someone asks me, "Are you going to do that tomorrow?", I will answer, "Yes, I will." Or I may elaborate, like "Yes, I will definitely do that." (Or the contracted "Yes, I'll definitely do that")

Yes, but it's about nuance. Generally speaking, they are interchangeable and you'll be understood whichever one you use. Functionally, I will read the book = I am going to read the book. If you tell your coworker that you [are going to/will] update the training manual, it will be understood that the training manual updates are your responsibility. The nuance difference is that "will" is more like a commitment, and "going to" is more like a plan.

I teach my students that "will" is used for promises or goals, while "going to" is used for narrating future plans. Example: "yes, I will take care of your house while you're away" (promise) "I'm going to watch Tina's house while she's away" (describing future plans)

Most of the time we say I’m going to the store later Not I will go to the store later

"I will go to the store" - proclaiming your decision that you will, in fact, go "I am going to go to the store" - proclaiming that the store is, in fact, where you are going

For me, one of the main differences comes down to level of cooperation (and no, I don’t have to think about it). “I’m going to the store.” It is my plan to go to the store. I’m letting you know. Unless I say otherwise, I’m probably going there right now. “I will go to the store.” I’m volunteering or offering to go to the store. Timing is more uncertain and there’s a little more coordination with the other person behind it. Something like, “I’ll go to the store, so you can get some rest.”

Just as a kinda nitpicky reminder, native speakers by definition use terms "appropriately." That doesn't necessarily mean "use terms as they appear in your grammar book," but by definition, if they use them, that is correct usage (other than isolated "production errors".)

OP two videos from the BBC explaining the differences. [going to gameshow](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qT5Ul3tMjDA) Or if time is short [English in a minute will Vs going to](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T-L0BBB2icQ) I generally teach that most of the time you can use one or the other. The only thing to keep in mind is that will is used for decisions made at the time of speaking.

If I say I’m going to do something it usually means I’m going to do it immediately, and if I say “I will do something” it’s more distant or ambiguous.

Native Speaker: Natives don't think about it. It's automatic and depends somewhat on the speaks style. I am going to be home at 7 pm. Said a lot, a bit clumsy. I will be home at 7 pm. Definite. I'll be home at 7. Maybe said the most. It's concise. I'm home at 7. Said, casual.

There's a difference? I don't feel there is; they are interchangable IMO.

Well you've totally ignored the third option: fixin' to, or finna.

Yes, native speakers understand that they are different, but many (including myself before I became was trained as an ESL teacher) probably can't pinpoint the distinction. We only use "will" for promises, predictions, or sudden decisions, i.e. no prior plan. We use "be going to" and present progressive for future plans. For example, the two sentences "I will work tomorrow" and "I'm working tomorrow" are slightly different in context and nuance. "I will work tomorrow" sounds like a promise to someone or a sudden decision. "I'm working tomorrow" is your definite plan that you made before the conversation. You are unlikely to be horribly misunderstood if you mix these up, though, so I wouldn't worry that much about the distinction.

Yes

I feel like “I will do XYZ” is more of a proof of intent than “I’m going to do XYZ.” The latter is more of a declaration of performing an action, whereas the former, at least to me, feels more like you’re trying to prove to someone of your intent to do something. I could even see “will” being used when describing a sequence of planned actions in order to make clear what you mean to do.

No. And honestly in my dialect I’d honestly call them interchangeable. With my preferred word being “will” but we also say “gonna”

The difference is subtle shades, but in no way important enough to cause confusion in any way. There are several things that change based on context and intent: "will" is for spontaneous decisions and/or promises you make while you emphasise your volition to do so (and usually but not always does not include reluctance to do so, hence its overlap with personal "will" as in volition). "Going to" is more often used when you emphasise it is something you have planned. Or you may use it to talk about something you previously already committed to (and may wish to reconfirm to dispel any doubt about your intention.) This is just off the top of my head, I am sure there are more situations where you may use them differently, but for a non-native they are not crucial to distinguish. Edit: from another comment below. This seems accurate: - there is a knock on the door. You have your hands full in the kitchen with dough, so you are covered in sticky dough and flour, so you ask your teenage child sitting in the kitchen, who is texting on their smartphone: "will you get the door for me?" - The teenage child nods, but you do not see your teenage child making any effort to get off their phone and head to the door. Meanwhile, the knock on the door continues, once, twice. You ask, a bit miffed, because your hands are still full of dough and it will take you a lot of effort to clean "are you gonna get the door or what??" Those two questions are used in very distinct contexts in practice because they carry all those different nuances of intention and volition. "Will" is asking your child to make a spontaneous decision, but "going to" is asking them to follow though on an intention. A native speaker would not interchange those two. I hope this is clear enough?