- Form the future perfect tense with haber (future) + past participle
- Express actions that will be completed before a future point in time
- Use the future perfect to make assumptions about the past
- Distinguish between future perfect and other perfect tenses
- Apply time expressions like 'para entonces', 'antes de que', 'cuando'
- Recognise when native speakers use future perfect vs simple future
What You'll Learn
Overview
The future perfect (futuro perfecto or futuro compuesto) expresses actions that will have been completed before a specific point in the future. It's formed with the future tense of haber + past participle.
The Core Pattern
haber (future) + past participle
Habré terminado para las cinco
I will have finished by five o'clock
When to Use Future Perfect
- Completed before a future moment - "By tomorrow, I will have finished"
- Probability/conjecture about the past - "They will have left already" (probably)
- With time markers - para entonces, antes de que, cuando
- Making predictions - "By 2030, technology will have changed completely"
Structure & Formation
Conjugating Haber in the Future
yo → habré
habré hablado
I will have spoken
tú → habrás
habrás comido
you will have eaten
él/ella/usted → habrá
habrá vivido
he/she will have lived
nosotros/as → habremos
habremos terminado
we will have finished
vosotros/as → habréis
habréis salido
you all will have left
ellos/ellas/ustedes → habrán
habrán llegado
they will have arrived
Forming Past Participles
Regular -ar verbs: → -ado
hablar → hablado, estudiar → estudiado, trabajar → trabajado
Regular -er/-ir verbs: → -ido
comer → comido, vivir → vivido, salir → salido
Common irregular participles:
hacer
hecho
done/made
escribir
escrito
written
ver
visto
seen
decir
dicho
said
poner
puesto
put
volver
vuelto
returned
abrir
abierto
opened
romper
roto
broken
morir
muerto
died
cubrir
cubierto
covered
Key Time Expressions
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| para entonces | by then | Para entonces habré terminado |
| antes de que | before | Habrá salido antes de que llegues |
| cuando | when | Cuando vuelvas, habré cocinado |
| para + time | by (time) | Para las seis habré llegado |
| en + time period | in/within | En dos años habremos ahorrado bastante |
Examples
Future Completion
Deadline
Para mañana habré terminado el proyecto
By tomorrow I will have finished the project
Sequence
Cuando llegues, ya habremos comido
When you arrive, we will have already eaten
Deadline
Para el viernes habrán enviado el paquete
By Friday they will have sent the package
Duration
En junio habré vivido aquí dos años
In June I will have lived here for two years
Probability / Conjecture
Assumption
Habrán salido ya
They must have left already
Question
¿Habrá recibido mi mensaje?
I wonder if he received my message?
Assumption
Habrás oído las noticias
You must have heard the news
Guess
Se habrán olvidado de la reunión
They've probably forgotten the meeting
Work & Study
Work
Para el lunes habré leído todo el informe
By Monday I will have read the entire report
Project
Habremos completado la presentación
We will have completed the presentation
Study
Para entonces habré aprobado los exámenes
By then I will have passed the exams
Education
Habrá terminado su carrera en mayo
She will have finished her degree in May
Travel & Life Events
Travel
Para 2030 habré visitado veinte países
By 2030 I will have visited 20 countries
Life event
Cuando te cases, ya me habré mudado
When you marry, I will have moved
Anniversary
Habremos estado casados cinco años
We will have been married 5 years
Family
Para entonces habrán nacido mis nietos
By then my grandchildren will have been born
Goals & Finance
Health
Para el verano habré perdido cinco kilos
By summer I will have lost 5kg
Savings
Para fin de año habré ahorrado mil libras
By year's end I will have saved £1000
Finance
Habrás pagado la hipoteca en veinte años
You will have paid off the mortgage in 20 years
Personal
Habré leído cincuenta libros
I will have read 50 books
Home & Nature
Home
Para septiembre habrán terminado las reformas
By September they will have finished the renovations
DIY
Habremos pintado toda la casa
We will have painted the whole house
Nature
Para primavera habrán florecido los árboles
By spring the trees will have blossomed
Weather
Cuando llegues habrá nevado
When you arrive it will have snowed
Common Mistakes
Common Mistakes with Future Perfect
Wrong: Para mañana terminaré el trabajo
Correct: Para mañana habré terminado el trabajo
Use future perfect when emphasising completion before a specific future moment.
Wrong: Habré terminar
Correct: Habré terminado
The future perfect always requires the past participle (-ado/-ido), not the infinitive.
Wrong: Habrá escribido
Correct: Habrá escrito
Remember irregular participles: escribir → escrito, not *escribido.
Wrong: He terminado para mañana
Correct: Habré terminado para mañana
Present perfect is for completed past actions. Future perfect is for actions completed by a future time.
Word Order in Questions
Wrong: ¿Habrá Juan llegado?
Correct: ¿Habrá llegado Juan?
In questions, the past participle comes before the subject: ¿Habrá + participle + subject?
Quick Test
Test your knowledge of the future perfect tense!
1. How do you say 'By tomorrow I will have finished the book'?
2. What does 'Habrán salido ya' most likely mean?
3. Choose the correct form: 'When you arrive, we ___ dinner.'
4. What's wrong with: 'Habré hacer la tarea'?
5. How do you say 'By 2025 they will have finished the project'?
6. Which sentence uses future perfect for probability?
7. What's the past participle of 'escribir'?
8. Choose the correct form: 'I will have seen that film.'