go to jail
The Spanish phrase 'ir a la cárcel' translates to 'go to jail' in English. It is composed of the Spanish verb 'ir' which means 'to go', the definite article 'a la' translates as 'to the' in English, and 'cárcel' is the Spanish noun for 'jail' or 'prison'. Thus put together, 'ir a la cárcel' means 'to go to jail'. You may encounter this phrase in legal contexts, books, movies or when discussing legal issues.
Upon going to jail, he promised to change his life.
This sentence describes a situation where a person, when sent to jail, made a commitment to improve or alter their lifestyle.
If you keep stealing, you could go to jail.
This sentence is a warning, expressing that if the person continues with the mentioned behavior (stealing), they might face the consequence of going to jail.
You should talk to a lawyer before going to jail.
This sentence is a suggestion, indicating that it would be beneficial to speak with a lawyer prior to serving a jail sentence.