Futuro Imperfecto: The Spanish Future Tense

The futuro imperfecto, or simple future tense, in Spanish is used to express actions that will happen in the future. It indicates what will occur. It’s a straightforward tense to learn and is frequently used in both formal and informal contexts.

Formation

The good news is that the future tense has the same endings for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs. Simply add these endings to the infinitive of the verb:

• -é
• -ás
• -á
• -emos
• -éis
• -án

Here are some examples using regular verbs:

• Hablar (to speak): hablaré, hablarás, hablará, hablaremos, hablaréis, hablarán
• Comer (to eat): comeré, comerás, comerá, comeremos, comeréis, comerán
• Vivir (to live): viviré, vivirás, vivirá, viviremos, viviréis, vivirán

Irregular Verbs

Like many Spanish tenses, the future tense has its share of irregular verbs. These verbs have a stem change in the infinitive before adding the standard future endings. Some of the most common irregular verbs include:

• Decir (to say): dir-
• Hacer (to do/make): har-
• Poder (to be able to): podr-
• Querer (to want): querr-
• Saber (to know): sabr-
• Poner (to put): pondr-
• Tener (to have): tendr-
• Salir (to leave): saldr-
• Venir (to come): vendr-

For example: Yo tendré (I will have), Ella podrá (She will be able to), Nosotros haremos (We will do).

Uses of the Future Tense

The future tense is primarily used to express actions or events that will happen in the future. However, it also has other uses:

• Expressing Future Actions: Viajaré a España el próximo año. (I will travel to Spain next year.)
• Expressing Conjecture or Probability (in the Present): We use the future tense to express an educated guess or uncertainty in the present. ¿Qué hora será? Serán las diez. (What time could it be? It must be ten o’clock.)
• Expressing Commands or Requests (Less Common): In some contexts, the future tense can soften a command or request. Harás lo que te digo. (You will do what I tell you.) – This can sound harsh. A more polite way would be using the subjunctive or a conditional.

Common Time Expressions

Certain time expressions often accompany the future tense:

• Mañana (Tomorrow)
• El próximo año/mes/semana (Next year/month/week)
• En el futuro (In the future)
• Dentro de… (Within…)
• Algún día (Someday)

The futuro imperfecto is an essential part of Spanish grammar. Mastering its formation and uses will significantly improve your ability to communicate about future events and possibilities. Remember to practice regularly and pay attention to irregular verbs to become fluent in its application.