- Learn the formation of the simple future tense by adding endings to the infinitive
- Learn the common irregular future stems like tendr-, har-, and dir-
- Understand the different uses: future events, predictions, probability, and soft commands
- Recognise the difference between simple future and ir + a + infinitive (immediate future)
- Practice using future tense with time expressions like mañana, la próxima semana, and en el futuro
What You'll Learn
Overview
The simple future tense expresses actions that will happen in the future. It's formed by adding endings directly to the infinitive - making it one of the easiest Spanish tenses to conjugate!
The simple future describes actions that will take place in the future, makes predictions, expresses probability, and can soften commands.
English Examples
"I will travel next year"
"She will be happy"
"It will probably rain"
"She will be happy"
"It will probably rain"
Spanish Examples
Viajaré el año que viene
Ella estará feliz
Probablemente lloverá
Ella estará feliz
Probablemente lloverá
Other Ways to Express the Future
Simple Future (hablaré): More formal, distant future, predictions
Immediate Future (voy a hablar): More common in speech, near future, plans
Present Tense: Can also express immediate future, especially with time markers
"Llamo a Simón esta noche" (I'm calling Simón tonight)
Structure & Formation
Simple Future Formation
Simple Future = Infinitive + Endings
Unlike most tenses, the simple future adds endings directly to the complete infinitive form (hablar, comer, vivir). The same set of endings works for ALL regular verbs, regardless of their infinitive ending!
Future Tense Endings (All Verbs)
yo
-étú
-ásél/ella
-ánosotros
-emosvosotros
-éisellos/as
-ánKey Pattern Points
- All endings have accent marks - every single one!
- Same endings for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs - no need to memorise three sets
- Use the full infinitive as the stem (hablar → hablaré, comer → comeré)
- Very predictable - only 12 common irregular verbs change the stem
Future Tense Conjugations
-AR: hablar (to speak)
| yo | hablaré |
| tú | hablarás |
| él/ella/usted | hablará |
| nosotros | hablaremos |
| vosotros | hablaréis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablarán |
-ER: comer (to eat)
| yo | comeré |
| tú | comerás |
| él/ella/usted | comerá |
| nosotros | comeremos |
| vosotros | comeréis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | comerán |
-IR: vivir (to live)
| yo | viviré |
| tú | vivirás |
| él/ella/usted | vivirá |
| nosotros | viviremos |
| vosotros | viviréis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | vivirán |
Irregular Future Stems
Only 12 common verbs have irregular stems in the future tense. They keep the regular endings (-é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án) but change the stem.
Three Patterns for Irregular Stems
1. Drop vowel, add -dr-
tener → tendr-
poner → pondr-
venir → vendr-
salir → saldr-
valer → valdr-
poner → pondr-
venir → vendr-
salir → saldr-
valer → valdr-
2. Drop vowels entirely
hacer → har-
decir → dir-
caber → cabr-
decir → dir-
caber → cabr-
3. Completely irregular
poder → podr-
saber → sabr-
querer → querr-
haber → habr-
saber → sabr-
querer → querr-
haber → habr-
Common Irregular Future Conjugations
tener (to have) → tendr-
| yo | tendré |
| tú | tendrás |
| él/ella/usted | tendrá |
| nosotros | tendremos |
| vosotros | tendréis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | tendrán |
hacer (to do/make) → har-
| yo | haré |
| tú | harás |
| él/ella/usted | hará |
| nosotros | haremos |
| vosotros | haréis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | harán |
poder (to be able to) → podr-
| yo | podré |
| tú | podrás |
| él/ella/usted | podrá |
| nosotros | podremos |
| vosotros | podréis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | podrán |
All Irregular Future Stems
poner
pondr-
yo pondré
salir
saldr-
yo saldré
venir
vendr-
yo vendré
decir
dir-
yo diré
querer
querr-
yo querré
saber
sabr-
yo sabré
valer
valdr-
yo valdré
caber
cabr-
yo cabré
haber
habr-
yo habré
Examples
Future Events
Plans
Mañana hablaré con ella
Tomorrow I will speak with her
Plans
El año que viene viajaremos a España
Next year we will travel to Spain
Scheduled
La fiesta empezará a las ocho
The party will start at eight
Predictions
Weather
Será un buen día
It will be a good day
Weather
Creo que lloverá esta noche
I think it will rain tonight
Opinion
El equipo ganará el partido
The team will win the match
Probability (Present)
Guess
¿Dónde está Juan? Estará en casa
Where's Juan? He's probably at home
Estimate
Serán las tres
It must be three o'clock
Estimate
Tendrá unos treinta años
He must be about thirty
Soft Commands
Instruction
Harás tu tarea ahora
You will do your homework now
Commandment
No matarás
Thou shalt not kill
Expectation
Vendrás a cenar con nosotros
You will come to dinner with us
Future Time Expressions
tomorrow
mañana
Mañana estudiaré
next week
la próxima semana
La próxima semana viajaré
next year
el año que viene
El año que viene me graduaré
in the future
en el futuro
En el futuro viviré allí
in... (time)
dentro de...
Dentro de dos horas llegaré
someday
algún día
Algún día lo entenderé
Story in the Future
El próximo verano visitaré a mi familia
Next summer I will visit my family
Pasaremos dos semanas en la playa
We will spend two weeks at the beach
Mis hermanos vendrán también
My siblings will come too
Haremos muchas actividades juntos
We will do many activities together
Será un verano inolvidable
It will be an unforgettable summer
Después volveré al trabajo
Then I will return to work
Common Mistakes
Don't Forget the Accent Marks
ALL future endings need accent marks - no exceptions!
Wrong: hablare, comeras, vivira
Correct: hablaré, comerás, vivirá
Correct: hablaré, comerás, vivirá
Simple Future vs Ir + a + Infinitive
hablaré: More formal, distant future
Algún día hablaré perfectamente
Algún día hablaré perfectamente
voy a hablar: More common, immediate
Ahora voy a hablar con él
Ahora voy a hablar con él
Memorise the 12 Irregular Stems
Only 12 verbs have irregular stems - all keep regular endings!
Add -dr-: tener, poner, venir, salir, valer
Drop vowels: hacer, decir, caber
Irregular: poder, saber, querer, haber
Drop vowels: hacer, decir, caber
Irregular: poder, saber, querer, haber
Future of Probability
The future can express probability about the present:
¿Qué hora es? Serán las tres
What time is it? It must be three
What time is it? It must be three
Quick Test
Test your knowledge of Spanish simple future tense - regular and irregular forms!
1. How do you say 'I will speak' in Spanish?
2. What's the correct future form: 'We will eat'?
3. Which is the correct irregular future: 'I will have'?
4. Choose the correct translation: 'She will be happy'
5. What's the future form: 'They will come tomorrow'?
6. Which sentence uses the future of probability correctly?
7. What's the correct form: 'I will make' (hacer)?
8. Choose: 'You will be able to do it' (tú, poder)
Want more in-depth practice? Try our interactive fill-in-the-blank exercises with progressive lessons covering regular and irregular future tense verbs!