The Future Tense (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
The future tense
Overview
The future tense allows you to describe actions that are going to happen or will happen in the future. Spanish offers two main ways to express future actions, just like English does. You can use either the "going to" construction or the "will" form, depending on the context and your intended meaning.
Understanding both forms gives you flexibility in expressing future plans, predictions, and intentions. The "going to" future often feels more immediate or planned, whilst the "will" future can express more formal predictions or spontaneous decisions.
Having two future tenses might seem overwhelming at first, but this flexibility is actually one of Spanish's strengths. Both forms are widely used and accepted, so you can choose the one that feels most natural for your intended meaning.
Rules & formation
The 'going to' future (futuro próximo)
This form uses the present tense of the verb ir (to go) followed by a and then the infinitive of your main verb. The structure is: present tense of ir + a + infinitive.
The present tense forms of ir are:
- yo voy (I go)
- tú vas (you go)
- él/ella/usted va (he/she/you formal go)
- nosotros/as vamos (we go)
- vosotros/as vais (you plural go)
- ellos/ellas/ustedes van (they/you formal go)
When using reflexive verbs in this construction, you have two options for placing the reflexive pronoun. You can either attach it to the end of the infinitive (where it agrees with the subject), or place it before the conjugated form of ir.
The 'will' future (futuro simple)
This form is created by adding specific endings directly to the infinitive form of any verb. Importantly, you do not remove the -ar, -er, or -ir endings before adding the future endings.
The future endings are the same for all verbs:
- -é (I will)
- -ás (you will)
- -á (he/she/you formal will)
- -emos (we will)
- -éis (you plural will)
- -án (they/you formal will)
For reflexive verbs in this tense, the reflexive pronoun always comes before the conjugated verb.
Tables of key forms
Present tense of ir (for 'going to' future)
| Person | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | voy | I go |
| tú | vas | you go |
| él/ella/usted | va | he/she/you go |
| nosotros/as | vamos | we go |
| vosotros/as | vais | you go |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | van | they/you go |
Future tense conjugations ('will' future)
| Person | -AR verbs (hablar) | -ER verbs (comer) | -IR verbs (vivir) |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hablaré | comeré | viviré |
| tú | hablarás | comerás | vivirás |
| él/ella/usted | hablará | comerá | vivirá |
| nosotros/as | hablaremos | comeremos | viviremos |
| vosotros/as | hablaréis | comeréis | viviréis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablarán | comerán | vivirán |
Example sentences
'Going to' future examples
Worked Example: 'Going to' Future Structure
Voy a escribir una postal. - I am going to write a postcard.
Breaking down the structure:
- Voy (I go) - present tense of ir
- a - linking word
- escribir - infinitive verb (to write)
This sentence shows the typical structure where voy combines with a and the infinitive escribir to express a planned future action.
Vamos a alquilar un coche. - We are going to rent a car. Here, vamos indicates a collective plan or decision about renting a car.
Van a hacer senderismo. - They are going to go hiking. This example demonstrates how the third person plural form van works with future plans.
Reflexive verb examples with 'going to' future
Worked Example: Reflexive Pronoun Placement
Voy a levantarme temprano. / Me voy a levantar temprano. - I am going to get up early.
Both versions are correct, showing the two possible positions for the reflexive pronoun me:
- Attached to the infinitive: levantar + me
- Before the conjugated verb: me + voy
Va a ducharse. / Se va a duchar. - He is going to take a shower. Again, both constructions are acceptable, with the reflexive pronoun either attached to the infinitive or placed before va.
'Will' future examples
Worked Example: 'Will' Future Formation
Escribiré una carta. - I will write a letter.
Formation breakdown:
- Start with complete infinitive: escribir
- Add first person ending: -é
- Result: escribiré
This shows how escribir becomes escribiré by adding the first person future ending to the complete infinitive.
Estudiaremos biología. - We will study biology. The infinitive estudiar takes the -emos ending to form the first person plural future tense.
Aprenderán árabe. - They will learn Arabic. Here, aprender becomes aprenderán with the third person plural future ending.
Reflexive verbs with 'will' future
Me levantaré. - I will get up. The reflexive pronoun me comes before the conjugated future form levantaré.
Se acostará. - He will go to bed. Similarly, se appears before the future tense verb acostará.
Common mistakes & tips
Ending Placement Errors
Remember that future tense endings are added to the complete infinitive. Don't remove the -ar, -er, or -ir endings before adding the future endings. For example, it's hablaré, not hablé.
Reflexive Pronoun Confusion
With the 'going to' future, you can place reflexive pronouns in two positions, but with the 'will' future, they must always come before the conjugated verb. Don't say levantaréme - it should be me levantaré.
Accent Mark Importance
Many future tense forms require accent marks (hablaré, comerás, vivirá). These accents are crucial for correct pronunciation and meaning, so don't forget to include them in your writing.
Choosing Between the Two Futures
Both future forms are grammatically correct, but the 'going to' future often suggests more immediate or planned actions, whilst the 'will' future can sound more formal or express spontaneous decisions. Consider your context when choosing!
Irregular Verbs
While most verbs follow the regular pattern shown above, some common verbs have irregular stems in the 'will' future (though the endings remain the same). Be prepared to learn these separately as you advance in your studies.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- Spanish has two main ways to express future actions: 'going to' (ir + a + infinitive) and 'will' (infinitive + endings)
- The present tense of ir is: voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van
- Future endings (-é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án) are added to the complete infinitive without removing -ar, -er, or -ir
- Reflexive pronouns can go in two positions with 'going to' future but must come before the verb with 'will' future
- Don't forget accent marks in future tense forms - they're essential for correct Spanish