Talking About the Future in Spanish
Welcome! Talking about the future allows you to share your upcoming plans, make predictions, and talk about your dreams. In Spanish, there are two main ways to talk about what will happen: The Near Future (El Futuro Próximo) and The Simple Future (El Futuro Simple).
Don't worry if verb tenses sometimes feel tricky — we will break both down step-by-step with simple formulas and memory tricks!
1. The Near Future Tense (El Futuro Próximo)
The Near Future Tense is used to describe things that are going to happen. You use it for immediate future actions or firm, specific plans (just like saying "I am going to eat" in English).
The 3-Step Formula
To form the near future, you need three ingredients:
[Present tense of 'ir'] + a + [Infinitive of main verb]
Step 1: Conjugate the verb 'ir' (to go) in the present tense:
• Yo voy (I am going)
• Tú vas (You are going)
• Él / Ella / Usted va (He / She is going / You formal are going)
• Nosotros / Nosotras vamos (We are going)
• Vosotros / Vosotras vais (You plural are going)
• Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes van (They are going / You plural formal are going)
Step 2: Add the word 'a':
The small word a is the bridge that connects your verbs. It is 100% mandatory!
Step 3: Add the main action verb in the infinitive:
An infinitive is the whole, unchanged verb ending in -ar, -er, or -ir (such as hablar, comer, or vivir).
Examples in Action:
• Voy a comer = I am going to eat.
• Vamos a jugar = We are going to play.
• Van a estudiar = They are going to study.
Key Takeaway for Near Future: Always remember the 3-part bridge: Person (ir) + a + Infinitive.
---2. The Simple Future Tense (El Futuro Simple)
The Simple Future Tense corresponds to the English word "will". It is commonly used for predictions, promises, or events happening in the more distant future (e.g., "I will travel the world").
The Simple Future Formula
[Full Infinitive] + [Future Ending]
Here is the best part: unlike other tenses where you chop off the ending, for regular verbs in the simple future you keep the entire infinitive verb intact! Even better, -ar, -er, and -ir verbs all share the exact same endings.
The Regular Endings
Add these endings directly to the end of the full infinitive:
• Yo: -é (e.g., hablaré – I will speak)
• Tú: -ás (e.g., hablarás – You will speak)
• Él / Ella / Usted: -á (e.g., hablará – He/She will speak)
• Nosotros / Nosotras: -emos (e.g., hablaremos – We will speak)
• Vosotros / Vosotras: -éis (e.g., hablaréis – You plural will speak)
• Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes: -án (e.g., hablarán – They will speak)
Accent Mark Memory Tip: Notice that 5 out of 6 endings have an accent mark! Only the nosotros form (-emos) does not have one.
Common Irregular Stems (KS3 Standard)
Some common verbs are irregular in the simple future. Instead of using the full infinitive, you use a special stem, but you still add the exact same endings onto it:
• Hacer (to do/make) → stem: har- (e.g., haré – I will do)
• Tener (to have) → stem: tendr- (e.g., tendré – I will have)
• Decir (to say/tell) → stem: dir- (e.g., diré – I will say)
• Poner (to put) → stem: pondr- (e.g., pondré – I will put)
• Salir (to leave/go out) → stem: saldr- (e.g., saldré – I will leave)
• Poder (to be able) → stem: podr- (e.g., podré – I will be able)
• Querer (to want) → stem: querr- (e.g., querré – I will want)
• Venir (to come) → stem: vendr- (e.g., vendré – I will come)
Key Takeaway for Simple Future: Whole infinitive (or irregular stem) + matching ending (-é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án).
---3. Comparing the Two Futures
Let's look at how the two future tenses compare side-by-side:
Near Future (ir a + infinitive):
• English Equivalent: "Going to..."
• When to Use: Specific plans, intentions, immediate future.
• How it Works: Conjugate ir, add a, leave the main verb as an infinitive.
• Example: Voy a vivir en España (I am going to live in Spain).
Simple Future (-é, -ás, -á...):
• English Equivalent: "Will..."
• When to Use: Predictions, promises, distant events.
• How it Works: Keep the whole infinitive (or irregular stem) and add the future ending.
• Example: Viviré en España (I will live in Spain).
4. Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Watch out for these common traps that students often fall into:
1. The Missing "a" Trap
In the near future, never forget the bridge word a.
• Incorrect: Voy comer.
• Correct: Voy a comer.
2. Chopping off the Verb Ending
In the regular simple future, do not remove the -ar, -er, or -ir before adding endings.
• Incorrect: Comé.
• Correct: Comeré.
3. Forgetting Written Accents
Always include accents on -é, -ás, -á, -éis, and -án. Missing accents can lose marks in writing assessments!
4. Irregular Stem Mix-ups
Take care with irregular stems that look similar. Make sure not to mix up hacer (har-) with other verbs, and remember the letter d in tener (tendr-), salir (saldr-), and poner (pondr-).
5. Quick Review Checklist
Before moving on, make sure you can answer these check questions:
1. What are the three parts of the near future formula? (ir + a + infinitive)
2. What are the six endings for the simple future? (-é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án)
3. Which simple future ending does NOT have an accent? (-emos for nosotros)
4. What is the irregular stem for hacer? (har-)
5. What is the irregular stem for tener? (tendr-)