¡Hola! We've spent a lot of time looking at the present and the past. Now, it's time to talk about what's to come! In this chapter, we introduce the Simple Future tense (el futuro simple). This tense is used to express actions that will happen in the future. The great news is that for regular verbs, it's one of the easiest tenses to conjugate in Spanish!
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
The Simple Future tense in Spanish corresponds to "will + verb" in English (e.g., "I will speak," "She will eat"). It's used for actions that are expected or planned to occur after the present moment.
(Optional Review): Think about the infinitive forms of verbs we know, like hablar, comer, vivir. For the future tense, we'll be adding endings directly to these infinitives!
The Simple Future tense is used to express:
The Simple Future tense is formed by adding the same set of endings to the entire infinitive of -AR, -ER, and -IR verbs. This makes it very regular for most verbs!
| Pronoun | Future 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/as | -emos | hablaremos | comeremos | viviremos |
| vosotros/as | -éis | hablaréis | comeréis | viviréis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | -án | hablarán | comerán | vivirán |
Notice: All future endings (except for nosotros) have an accent mark!
Master regular Simple Future tense conjugations.
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Instructions: Circle the future tense ending in each conjugated verb.
(Answers are bolded above for self-check.)
Instructions: Match the pronoun with the correct future form of "viajar" (to travel).
yo ( ) viajaréis
tú ( ) viajarán
él ( ) viajaré
nosotros ( ) viajarás
vosotros ( ) viajará
ellos ( ) viajaremosAnswer Key:
yo → viajaré
tú → viajarás
él → viajará
nosotros → viajaremos
vosotros → viajaréis
ellos → viajaránInstructions: Write the correct simple future form of the verb in parentheses.
Answer Key:
Instructions: Write three original sentences in Spanish about your future plans or predictions, using different regular verbs in the simple future tense and a time expression (e.g., mañana, el próximo año).
(Answers will vary. Example: El próximo verano, viajaré a la playa.)
Instructions: In pairs, take turns asking and answering what you will do tomorrow, using regular verbs in the future tense.
Example:
Student A: ¿Qué harás mañana? (What will you do tomorrow?)
Student B: Mañana, yo estudiaré y después visitaré a mis amigos. ¿Y tú?
Student A: Yo trabajaré por la mañana y por la tarde descansaré. (Note: "harás" is the future of "hacer" - an irregular verb we'll cover next. For now, focus on regular verbs in your answers.)
Discussing future plans and aspirations is a common way to connect with people. Whether it's talking about weekend plans, upcoming holidays, or long-term goals, the future tense is essential for these conversations in Spanish-speaking cultures, just as it is elsewhere.
One of the most convenient things about the simple future tense in Spanish is that regular -AR, -ER, and -IR verbs all use the exact same set of endings: -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án. These endings are added directly to the full infinitive form of the verb.
Example:
This makes conjugating most verbs in the future quite straightforward once you've memorized the endings.
You might already be familiar with another way to talk about the future: using the structure ir a + infinitivo (to be going to + verb). This is very common in spoken Spanish, especially for near-future plans or intentions.
Often, they are interchangeable. However:
For now, focus on mastering the simple future conjugation. You'll develop a feel for when to use each as you hear and use more Spanish.
Let's see what Carmen's plans are for next week.
La próxima semana, Carmen tendrá (irregular - tener) mucho trabajo. El lunes, ella preparará una presentación importante.
El martes por la mañana, visitará a un cliente. Por la tarde, escribirá un informe.
El miércoles, Carmen y sus colegas discutirán un nuevo proyecto. Ella compartirá sus ideas.
El jueves, aprenderá a usar un nuevo programa de software. Y el viernes, ¡finalmente descansará! Ella leerá un libro y mirará películas.
Next week, Carmen will have a lot of work. On Monday, she will prepare an important presentation.
On Tuesday morning, she will visit a client. In the afternoon, she will write a report.
On Wednesday, Carmen and her colleagues will discuss a new project. She will share her ideas.
On Thursday, she will learn to use a new software program. And on Friday, she will finally rest! She will read a book and watch movies.
viajar (to travel), estudiar (to study), comprar (to buy), abrir (to open), aprender (to learn), preparar (to prepare), visitar (to visit), escribir (to write), discutir (to discuss), compartir (to share), descansar (to rest), leer (to read), mirar (to watch).
Time expressions: mañana, pasado mañana, la próxima semana/mes/año, en el futuro, pronto, luego, más tarde, esta noche/tarde.
Simple Future tense endings for regular -AR, -ER, and -IR verbs (-é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án) added to the infinitive. Usage for future actions, predictions, and plans.
¡Muy bien! You've learned the regular forms of the Simple Future tense. Just like other tenses, the future also has some important irregular verbs whose stems change before adding the future endings. In the next chapter, we'll cover these common irregular future verbs. ¡Vamos al futuro!