Introduction to the Future Tense
The future tense in Spanish is used to describe actions that will happen or will be completed in the future. It can also express probability or conjecture about the present.
Unlike English, where the future is often formed with auxiliary verbs like "will," Spanish has a specific conjugation for future tense that attaches endings directly to the infinitive form of the verb.
Mañana estudiaré para el examen.
mah-NYAH-nah es-too-dee-AH-reh pah-rah ehl ehks-AH-men
Tomorrow I will study for the exam.
Formation of the Future Tense
The future tense is formed by adding specific endings directly to the infinitive form of the verb, regardless of whether it ends in -ar, -er, or -ir.
These endings are the same for all regular verbs and are as follows:
| Subject | Ending |
|---|---|
| yo (I) | -é |
| tú (you, informal) | -ás |
| él/ella/usted (he/she/you formal) | -á |
| nosotros (we) | -emos |
| vosotros (you all, informal) | -éis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes (they/you all formal) | -án |
Hablaré con ella después.
ah-blah-REH kon EH-yah dehs-PWEHS
I will speak with her later.
Regular Verb Conjugation
The future endings are added to the entire infinitive, keeping the verb stem intact for regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs.
Here is the conjugation of the regular verb comer (to eat) in the future tense:
| Subject | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | comeré |
| tú | comerás |
| él/ella/usted | comerá |
| nosotros | comeremos |
| vosotros | comeréis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | comerán |
Nosotros viviremos en España.
noh-SOH-tros vee-vee-REH-mos en ehs-PAH-nyah
We will live in Spain.
Irregular Verbs in the Future Tense
Some verbs have irregular stems in the future tense but use the same set of future endings. These irregular stems must be memorized.
Here are some common irregular verbs with their future stems:
| Verb | Future Stem | Example (yo form) |
|---|---|---|
| tener (to have) | tendr- | tendré |
| hacer (to do/make) | har- | haré |
| decir (to say/tell) | dir- | diré |
| salir (to leave/go out) | saldr- | saldré |
| venir (to come) | vendr- | vendré |
Ella tendrá una sorpresa mañana.
EH-yah tehn-DRAH oo-nah sohr-PREH-sah mah-NYAH-nah
She will have a surprise tomorrow.
Common Uses of the Future Tense
The future tense is not only used for actions that will happen but also for expressing probability or making guesses about the present or future.
Use it to express certainty about the future, to make promises, or to speculate.
¿Qué hora será?
keh OH-rah seh-RAH
What time could it be? (guessing)
Te ayudaré con la tarea.
teh ah-yoo-dah-REH kon lah tah-REH-ah
I will help you with the homework.
Negation in the Future Tense
To make a sentence negative in the future tense, simply place no before the conjugated verb. The negative particle does not change the verb form.
No viajaré el próximo año.
noh vee-ah-hah-REH ehl PROHK-see-moh AH-nyoh
I will not travel next year.
Negation works the same as in present tense sentences.
Practice Examples
Try to identify the verb conjugations and translate the following sentences:
Ellos estudiarán para el examen.
EH-yohs es-too-dee-AH-rahn pah-rah ehl ehks-AH-men
They will study for the exam.
¿Vendrás a la fiesta esta noche?
behn-DRAS ah lah FYEHS-tah EHS-tah NO-cheh
Will you come to the party tonight?
No compraré ese coche.
noh kom-prah-REH EH-seh KOH-cheh
I will not buy that car.
¿Cuándo llegarán los invitados?
KWAN-doh yeh-gah-RAHN lohs een-bee-TAH-dohs
When will the guests arrive?
Tips for Remembering Rules
- Remember that future tense endings are the same for all verb endings (-ar, -er, -ir).
- Memorize the irregular stems separately as they do not follow the infinitive base.
- Practice by adding endings directly to the infinitive instead of trying to find new stems (except irregular verbs).
- Use the future tense to express certainty, promises, or polite guesses.
- Negation is simple: just add no before the verb without changing its form.