El Tiempo Futuro Forms and Uses of the Future Tense in Spanish

In Spanish, there are several ways to express future events – without actually using the future tense! Present indicative – when we are certain the action will occur. Present indicative – when we are certain the action will occur. Llegan a la costa mañana. They arrive at the coast tomorrow.

Ir + a + infinitive – Commonly used in everyday speech; expresses the near future. Ir + a + infinitive – Commonly used in everyday speech; expresses the near future. Van a llegar a la costa mañana. They are going to arrive at the coast tomorrow.

Future tense – when we want to express an action that WILL occur; often implies more certainty than ir+a+infinitive. Future tense – when we want to express an action that WILL occur; often implies more certainty than ir+a+infinitive. Llegarán a la costa mañana. They will arrive at the coast tomorrow.

Forms of the future tense Almost all verbs are formed by adding -é, -ás, -á, -emos, and -án to the infinitive: yo tú él/ella/Ud. Nosotros/as Ellos/ellas/Uds. hablar deber abrir é ás á emos án é ás á emos án é ás á emos án

Práctica You will learn You will learn aprenderás aprenderás We will go We will go iremos iremos I will work I will work trabajaré trabajaré They will share They will share compartirán compartirán It will improve mejorará I will relax me relajaré We will contribute contribuiremos

Práctica It will fit It will fit Cabrá Cabrá We will come We will come Vendremos Vendremos They will have They will have Tendrán Tendrán I will leave I will leave Saldré Saldré You will do it Lo harás I will know sabré There will be Habrá We will be able to Podremos

Verbs with Irregular Future Stems: Some Spanish verbs drop the -e of the infinitive ending: InfinitiveStemFuture cabercabr-cabré, cabrás, cabrá.. haberhabr-habrá (habré,habrás.. poderpodr-podré, podrás, podrá quererquerr-querré, querrás, sabersabr-sabré, sabrás, sabrá cab er

Verbs with Irregular Future Stems: Others replace the -e or -i of the infinitive ending with -d. InfinitiveStemFuture ponerpondr-pondré, pondrás, pondrá, salirsaldr-saldré, saldrás, saldrá,.. tenertendr-tendré, tendrás, tendrá,… valervaldr-valdré, valdrás, valdrá,… venirvendr-vendré, vendrás, vendrá, ponerd

Verbs with Irregular Future Stems: And a couple are just different! They lose the -c and the -e. InfinitiveStemFuture decirdir-diré, dirás, dirá, … hacerhar-haré, harás, hará,..

¿Cuándo le dirás a ella que la amas? When will you tell her you love her? Tendré que cambiar mi estilo de vida. I’ll have to change my lifestyle. Habrá mucha gente en el concierto esta noche. There will be a lot of people at the concert tonight.