Future Plans (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Future plans
This topic focuses on discussing your future aspirations, career goals, and plans after the Leaving Certificate. You'll need to express ideas about education, work, travel, and life decisions using appropriate future tenses and relevant vocabulary. Success in this topic requires being able to articulate both definite plans and hypothetical scenarios with confidence.
Key vocabulary
Understanding and using this vocabulary effectively will help you express your ideas more precisely and demonstrate your language skills to examiners.
Plans and decisions
- los planes = plans
- el futuro = future
- la decisión = decision
- la meta = goal
- la ambición = ambition
Education and careers
- la universidad = university
- la carrera = career/degree course
- el título = qualification/degree
- las asignaturas = subjects
- el aprendizaje = apprenticeship
- el curso = course
Work and professions
- el trabajo = work/job
- el empleo = employment
- el sueldo = salary
- la profesión = profession
- la experiencia laboral = work experience
Time expressions
- el año que viene = next year
- en el futuro = in the future
- más adelante = later on
- dentro de unos años = in a few years' time
Learning Strategy: Group vocabulary by themes and practice using these words in complete sentences rather than just memorising translations. This will help you use them naturally during your oral exam.
Typical examiner questions
Examiners will ask questions to test your ability to discuss both immediate and long-term plans. They want to see that you can use different tenses appropriately and express personal opinions with supporting reasons.
- ¿Qué vas a hacer el año que viene? = What are you going to do next year?
- ¿Por qué elegiste esa carrera? = Why did you choose that career?
- ¿Cuántos años tendrás que estudiar? = How many years will you have to study?
- ¿Es difícil matricularse en esa carrera? = Is it difficult to enrol in that course?
- ¿Vas a quedarte en la casa de tus padres el año que viene? = Are you going to stay at your parents' house next year?
- ¿Piensas que tomar un año sabático es buena idea? = Do you think taking a gap year is a good idea?
- ¿Te apetece la idea de vivir en el extranjero en el futuro? = Do you fancy the idea of living abroad in the future?
- ¿Qué harías si no pudieras encontrar trabajo en Irlanda? = What would you do if you couldn't find work in Ireland?
Exam Strategy: Notice that questions use different tenses - some ask about definite plans (vas a hacer) while others ask about hypothetical situations (qué harías si...). Match your answer tense to the question tense for maximum marks.
Model answers
Being able to give both short, direct responses and longer, more detailed explanations will demonstrate your range of Spanish skills. Practice both types of responses to be fully prepared.
Short responses
About next year's plans:
- Voy a trabajar para ganar dinero = I'm going to work to earn money
- Espero ir a la universidad = I hope to go to university
- Todavía no sé qué voy a hacer = I still don't know what I'm going to do
- Quiero tomarme un año sabático = I want to take a gap year
About career choices:
- Me gusta ayudar a otras personas = I like helping other people
- Podría ganar mucho dinero = I could earn lots of money
- Es una carrera interesante = It's an interesting career
Extended responses
Worked Example: University Plans Response
Quisiera estudiar Medicina en la universidad. Espero ir a Cork porque tiene muy buena reputación. El curso dura seis años, que es bastante largo, pero creo que vale la pena. Necesito sacar puntos muy altos en el Leaving Cert, así que tengo que estudiar mucho este año.
= I would like to study Medicine at university. I hope to go to Cork because it has a very good reputation. The course lasts six years, which is quite long, but I think it's worth it. I need to get very high points in the Leaving Cert, so I have to study hard this year.
Worked Example: Gap Year Considerations
Pienso que tomar un año sabático es una buena oportunidad para viajar y conocer culturas nuevas. También me gustaría ganar experiencia laboral antes de empezar la universidad. Sin embargo, algunos de mis amigos creen que es mejor empezar los estudios inmediatamente.
= I think taking a gap year is a good opportunity to travel and get to know new cultures. I would also like to gain work experience before starting university. However, some of my friends believe it's better to start studying immediately.
Worked Example: Living Abroad
Me apetece mucho la idea de vivir en el extranjero. Mi hermana mayor trabaja en Londres y dice que es una ciudad muy animada. Creo que sería una experiencia fantástica, pero también sentiría nostalgia de mi familia y mis amigos aquí en Irlanda.
= I really fancy the idea of living abroad. My older sister works in London and says it's a very lively city. I think it would be a fantastic experience, but I would also feel homesick for my family and friends here in Ireland.
Important grammar points
Mastering these grammar structures is essential for expressing your future plans accurately and naturally. Pay particular attention to the irregular verbs, as these are commonly used in discussions about future plans.
Future tense formation
Regular verbs: Remove infinitive ending (-ar, -er, -ir) and add future endings:
- estudiar → estudiaré (I will study)
- vivir → vivirás (you will live)
- trabajar → trabajará (he/she will work)
Irregular verbs to remember:
- hacer → haré (I will do)
- tener → tendré (I will have)
- venir → vendré (I will come)
- salir → saldré (I will leave)
Critical Grammar Point: The future tense endings are the same for all verbs (regular and irregular). It's only the stem that changes for irregular verbs. Learn the irregular stems by heart!
Expressing plans with "ir a"
Use ir a + infinitive for immediate future plans:
- Voy a estudiar = I'm going to study
- Van a viajar = They're going to travel
Conditional tense for wishes and hypotheses
- Me gustaría = I would like
- Preferiría = I would prefer
- Sería mejor = It would be better
Usage Tip: The conditional tense makes your responses sound more sophisticated and polite. Use me gustaría instead of quiero when discussing your preferences in formal situations like exams.
Pronunciation tips
Clear pronunciation will help you communicate effectively and show confidence in your Spanish speaking skills.
Stress patterns for future tense: All future tense forms are stressed on the ending: estudiarÉ, trabajarÁS The accent mark shows you where to place stress
Tricky sounds:
- año sabático = [AH-nyoh sah-BAH-tee-koh] - the ñ is like 'ny' in 'canyon'
- carrera = [kah-RREH-rah] - roll the double 'r' sound
- extranjero = [ex-trahn-HEH-roh] - 'j' sounds like 'h' in 'hello'
Key phrases to practise:
- Me apetece = [meh ah-peh-TEH-theh] - "I fancy/feel like"
- Nostalgia = [nos-TAHL-gee-ah] - homesickness
Pronunciation Practice: Record yourself saying these phrases and compare with native speaker audio. Focus on getting the stress patterns correct, as this will make your Spanish sound more natural.
Key Points to Remember:
- Use ir a + infinitive for definite plans and the future tense for predictions and longer-term goals
- The conditional tense (me gustaría) sounds more polite than direct statements
- Learn key connector words like sin embargo (however), además (furthermore), por eso (that's why)
- Practice expressing both positive plans and backup options in case things don't work out
- Be ready to give reasons for your choices using porque (because) and ya que (since)