When/whether to use "ineō" instead of "eō"

Question

I am learning Latin for the first time this year, and I have a question about the usage of the verb 'eō', I go. The textbook that I am using, Henle Latin 1st Year, lists 'eō' as follows:

eō, īre, īvī (iī), itum, irreg., intr.         go

However, it then proceeds to list the following "compound of eō," 'ineō':

ineō, inīre, iniī, initus, irreg., tr.         go into
                                                         enter upon

Now, my question is, how can I determine whether to use 'in xxx eō' or just 'xxx ineō' or even 'in xxx ineō' to say "I go into xxx?"

Answer 1

All three are fine! While there might be a slight difference in nuance, I would say that you can freely use any of them that feels best in that situation. There just turns out to be many ways to express the same things, and there are a great many other verbs for similar purposes like ingredi and intrare.

There are examples in Lewis and Short:

• You can use inire with plain accusative or in plus accusative. The first examples in the linked L&S dictionary entry are the most concrete ones for entering e.g. a building.

• The entry for ire also has plenty of examples for in and accusative with ire.