The future tense (Edexcel GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
The future tense
Overview
Spanish has two main ways to express future actions: the simple future tense and the immediate future tense. Each has different uses and formations that you need to master for your GCSE exam.
Simple future tense
The simple future tense is one of the most straightforward tenses to form in Spanish, making it essential for expressing predictions, future facts, and conditional situations.
Formation
The simple future tense is formed by adding specific endings to the infinitive form of the verb. Unlike other tenses, you don't remove the infinitive ending first - you simply add the future endings directly to the whole infinitive.
Conjugation
| Person | Ending | Example (hablar) | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | -é | hablaré | I will speak |
| tú | -ás | hablarás | you will speak |
| él/ella/usted | -á | hablará | he/she/you will speak |
| nosotros | -emos | hablaremos | we will speak |
| vosotros | -éis | hablaréis | you will speak |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | -án | hablarán | they/you will speak |
The plural forms (nosotros, vosotros, ellos) are only required at Higher level.
Irregular verbs
While most verbs follow the regular pattern, some common verbs have irregular stems but still use the same future tense endings.
Learn these irregular stems by heart - they appear frequently in GCSE exams and there are no shortcuts to memorising them.
| Infinitive | Stem | Future form | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| decir | dir- | diré | I will say |
| haber | habr- | habré | there will be |
| hacer | har- | haré | I will make/do |
| poder | podr- | podré | I will be able to |
| querer | querr- | querré | I will want |
| saber | sabr- | sabré | I will know |
| salir | saldr- | saldré | I will leave |
| tener | tendr- | tendré | I will have |
| venir | vendr- | vendré | I will come |
| poner | pondr- | pondré | I will put |
Example sentences:
- El próximo año será difícil encontrar un buen trabajo. - Next year it will be difficult to find a good job.
- Si trabajo como voluntario, mejoraré el mundo. - If I work as a volunteer, I will make the world better.
Immediate future tense
The immediate future tense is perfect for expressing plans and intentions, similar to the English "going to" construction.
Formation
The immediate future tense uses the present tense of ir (to go) + a + infinitive. This pattern is consistent across all verbs, making it easier to master than the simple future.
Conjugation
| Person | ir (present) | + a | + infinitive |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | voy | a | mandar |
| tú | vas | a | bailar |
| él/ella/usted | va | a | salir |
| nosotros | vamos | a | venir |
| vosotros | vais | a | |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | van | a |
Example sentences:
- ¿Vas a comer algo? - Are you going to have something to eat?
- Vamos a ir a la fiesta. - We're going to go to the festival.
- En Barcelona va a comprar recuerdos. - He's going to buy souvenirs in Barcelona.
- Voy a salir esta tarde. - I'm going to go out this afternoon.
When to use each tense
Understanding when to use each future tense is crucial for accurate communication and exam success.
Simple future tense
Use the simple future to talk about what will happen in the future, especially for:
- General predictions
- Future facts
- Conditional situations
Example: Si llueve, iremos al cine. - If it rains, we will go to the cinema.
Immediate future tense
Use the immediate future to talk about what is going to happen, especially for:
- Plans you've already made
- Things that are about to happen
- Intentions
Example: Voy a salir esta tarde. - I'm going to go out this afternoon.
Time expressions for the future
Recognise these time expressions that indicate future time:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| mañana | tomorrow |
| esta noche | tonight |
| mañana por la mañana | tomorrow morning |
| el próximo viernes | next Friday |
Practice exercises
Worked Examples: Converting to Future Tenses
Rewrite using the simple future tense:
- Nunca fumo. → Nunca fumaré. (I will never smoke)
- Ayudo a otras personas. → Ayudaré a otras personas. (I will help other people)
Rewrite using the immediate future tense:
- Salgo a las seis. → Voy a salir a las seis. (I'm going to leave at six)
- Va a Ecuador. → Va a ir a Ecuador. (He/she is going to go to Ecuador)
Key Points to Remember:
- The simple future adds endings (-é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án) to the infinitive
- Some verbs have irregular stems but use the same endings
- The immediate future uses ir + a + infinitive
- Use simple future for predictions, immediate future for plans
- Learn the irregular verb stems by heart - they appear frequently in exams