To travel toward a destination, attend something, or direct effort or resources toward a purpose.
To move toward a place or thing, or to give money/effort to something.
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To move toward or travel to a place.
"We go to the market every Saturday morning."
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less travelled by.
— Robert Frost, 'The Road Not Taken' (1916) — illustrating directional movement as a metaphor.
For money, a prize, or credit to be awarded or allocated to someone or something.
"Half of the proceeds from the concert go to local charities."
Used in the fixed expression 'go to great lengths / trouble' meaning to make a lot of effort.
"She went to great lengths to make sure everyone felt welcome."
To move in the direction of a place.
To move toward a place or thing, or to give money/effort to something.
One of the most basic and frequently used phrasal verb patterns in English. In its idiomatic uses (e.g. 'go to great lengths', 'go to waste'), it forms many fixed expressions. Not typically listed in phrasal verb dictionaries because it is so transparent.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "go to" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.