What the future tense does
Up to now you've talked about the present and the past. The future tense lets you talk about what will happen. In everyday Spanish, speakers often use ir a + infinitive ("going to...") for plans, but the simple future tense is essential for predictions, promises, and formal contexts - and it's surprisingly easy to form.
Forming the regular future tense
Unlike other tenses, you don't remove the verb ending. You take the entire infinitive and add the same set of endings for all three conjugation groups (-ar, -er, -ir):
| Person | Ending | hablar (to speak) | comer (to eat) | vivir (to live) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | -é | hablaré | comeré | viviré |
| tú | -ás | hablarás | comerás | vivirás |
| él/ella/usted | -á | hablará | comerá | vivirá |
| nosotros | -emos | hablaremos | comeremos | viviremos |
| vosotros | -éis | hablaréis | comeréis | viviréis |
| ellos/ustedes | -án | hablarán | comerán | vivirán |
Key point: All future endings carry an accent mark on the stressed vowel except the nosotros form: hablaré, hablarás, hablará, hablaremos, hablaréis, hablarán.
Irregular future stems
Twelve common verbs have irregular stems in the future tense. The endings stay the same - only the stem changes. Group them by pattern to make them easier to remember:
Drop the -e from the infinitive
| Verb | Stem | Example (yo) |
|---|---|---|
| poder (to be able) | podr- | podré |
| querer (to want) | querr- | querré |
| saber (to know) | sabr- | sabré |
| haber (auxiliary) | habr- | habrá (hay → habrá) |
| caber (to fit) | cabr- | cabré |
Replace the vowel with -d-
| Verb | Stem | Example (yo) |
|---|---|---|
| tener (to have) | tendr- | tendré |
| venir (to come) | vendr- | vendré |
| poner (to put) | pondr- | pondré |
| salir (to leave) | saldr- | saldré |
| valer (to be worth) | valdr- | valdré |
Completely shortened
| Verb | Stem | Example (yo) |
|---|---|---|
| decir (to say) | dir- | diré |
| hacer (to do/make) | har- | haré |
When to use the simple future
1. Predictions and assumptions
- Mañana lloverá. - It will rain tomorrow.
- El examen será difícil. - The exam will be difficult.
2. Promises and commitments
- Te llamaré esta noche. - I'll call you tonight.
- No lo olvidaré. - I won't forget it.
3. Probability in the present (the "future of conjecture")
This is a uniquely Spanish use. The future tense can express a guess or wonder about what's happening right now:
- ¿Qué hora será? - I wonder what time it is.
- Estará en casa. - She's probably at home.
- Tendrá unos treinta años. - He must be about thirty.
Future vs. ir a + infinitive
In everyday conversation, ir a + infinitive is extremely common for near-future plans:
| Simple future | ir a + infinitive | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Estudiaré mañana. | Voy a estudiar mañana. | Both work; ir a feels more casual/planned |
| Algún día viajaremos a Japón. | Algún día vamos a viajar a Japón. | Simple future sounds more natural for distant/uncertain plans |
| ¿Será verdad? | - | Only the simple future works for conjecture |
Practice sentences
Translate these into Spanish using the simple future tense:
- We will travel to Spain next year.
- She will be able to come to the party.
- I will tell you (informal) the truth.
- They will have to study more.
- Where will you (formal) live?
Answers
- Viajaremos a España el año que viene.
- Ella podrá venir a la fiesta.
- Te diré la verdad.
- Tendrán que estudiar más.
- ¿Dónde vivirá usted?
Key takeaways
- The future tense uses the full infinitive as its stem (regular verbs), plus one set of endings for all conjugation groups.
- Twelve high-frequency verbs have irregular stems - group them by pattern (drop -e, insert -d-, or shorten).
- Use it for predictions, promises, and the uniquely Spanish "future of conjecture" (guessing about the present).
- Ir a + infinitive covers casual near-future plans; the simple future is preferred for distant plans, formal contexts, and conjecture.