3.2 Future tenses - an introduction
The future tenses in Spanish are very much alike the English ones. There are two forms of future the future I and the be-going-to future.
Example of English future tenses
future I:
I will go to Italy next month.
He will buy my car and I will be rich.
We will invite them.
be-going-to future:
I am going to go to Italy tomorrow.
He is going to buy my car and I am going to be rich.
We are going to invite them.
I will go to Italy next month.
He will buy my car and I will be rich.
We will invite them.
be-going-to future:
I am going to go to Italy tomorrow.
He is going to buy my car and I am going to be rich.
We are going to invite them.
The Spanish has also two forms of future tenses future I and ir + a + infinitive - form.
Example of Spanish future I
simple future I:
Te lo diré. = I will tell you.
Lo comprará. = He will buy it.
Les invitaremos. = We will invite them.
ir + a + inifinitve:
Te lo voy a decir. = I am going to tell you.
Lo va a comprar. = He is going to buy it.
Les vamos a invitar. = We are going to invite them.
Te lo diré. = I will tell you.
Lo comprará. = He will buy it.
Les invitaremos. = We will invite them.
ir + a + inifinitve:
Te lo voy a decir. = I am going to tell you.
Lo va a comprar. = He is going to buy it.
Les vamos a invitar. = We are going to invite them.
3.2.1.1 Future tenses - an introduction
The formation of the simple future I is simple. To the infinitive (unchanged) form of the verb the right endings are just appended. There is no separate form for verbs on -ar, -er or -ir.
| infinitive (unchanged form) | ending | future tense I |
|
comer
vender
recibir
insistir
tomar
comprar
|
 |
Yo voy a comer Tú vas a comer Él/Ella va a comer Nosotros vamos a comer Vosotros vais a comer Ellos/Ellas van a comer Yo voy a tomar Tú vas a tomar Él/Ella va a tomar Nosotros vamos a tomar Vosotros vais a tomar Ellos van a tomar Yo voy a insistir Tú vas a insistir Él / Ella va a insistir Nosotros vamos a insistir Vosotros vais a insistir Ellos van a insistir |
As an alternative to the genuine simple future I the construction with ir + a + Infinitiv can be used.
| form of ir | + a + | infinitive | future |
 |
a
|
comer
vender
recibir
insistir
tomar
comprar
|
Yo voy a comer Tú vas a comer Él/Ella va a comer Nosotros vamos a comer Vosotros vais a comer Ellos/Ellas van a comer Yo voy a tomar Tú vas a tomar Él/Ella va a tomar Nosotros vamos a tomar Vosotros vais a tomar Ellos van a tomar Yo voy a insistir Tú vas a insistir Él / Ella va a insistir Nosotros vamos a insistir Vosotros vais a insistir Ellos van a insistir |
3.2.1.2 Use of future I
The future tenses are used to express actions in the future (as the name says). Here are both types of future forms equal. The ir + a + infinitive can be substituted by simple future I and vice versa.
However, the future I can also have other meanings.
3.2.2.3 Future tense I as expression of uncertainty
The simple future I can be used also to express uncertainty.
as we know from this very well known song
| Qué será, qué será, qué será. Qué será de mi vida, qué será Si sé mucho o no sé nada, ya mañana se verá y será, será lo que será. |
What will be will be what will be with my live will be If I know much or do not know nothing tomorrow we'll see and what will be will be. |
Example
¿Qué sabrá un puerco de aviones? Nada!
= What does a pig know about airplanes? Nothing! (What will a pig know)
¿Qué hará él en Francia?
= What might he do in France? (What he will do?)
= What does a pig know about airplanes? Nothing! (What will a pig know)
¿Qué hará él en Francia?
= What might he do in France? (What he will do?)
3.2.2.1 Irregular verbs in future tense
The formation of the simple future I is with some very few verbs irregular. Irregular means that they use an own stem for the formation of the simple future I the endings themselves are regular again. Not only that some of those irregulars are quite often used the same stem is needed for the conditional. Therefore you cannot avoid them.
Irregular verbs in simple future I
| verb | stem | simple future I |
| saber | sabr | sabré, sabrás, sabrá, sabremos, sabréis, sabrán |
| poder | podr | podré, podrás, podrá, podremos, podréis, podrán |
| poner | pondr | pondré, pondrás, pondrá, pondremos, pondréis, pondrán |
| hacer | har | haré, harás, hará, haremos, haréis, harán |
| decir | dir | diré, dirás, dirá, diremos, diréis, dirán |
| salir | saldr | saldré, saldrás, saldrá, saldremos, saldréis, saldrán |
| vender | vendr | vendré, vendrás, vendrá, vendremos, vendréis, vendrán |
| tener | tendr | tendré, tendrás, tendrá, tendremos, tendréis, tendrán |
| querer | querr | querré, querrás, querrá, querremos, querréis, querrán |
| haber | habr | habré, habrás, habrá, habremos, habréis, habrán |