The simple future is a verb conjugation in the Spanish language that refers to verbs in the future tense, simple, indicative mood, and active voice. Unlike in English in which futurity is expressed through modal verbs, the simple present, the present progressive, or other auxiliary verbs, the simple future in Spanish expresses discrete future actions or states.
Formation of the Spanish Simple Future
Just as with most other verb conjugations in the Spanish language, the simple future is formed through the process of inflection. Inflection can be defined as the modification of the form of a word through affixation. Regular verbs in the simple future in Spanish are formed by affixing the simple future suffix to the end of the infinitive of the verb. The conjugation patterns for regular Spanish verbs in the simple present are as follows:
Regular -ar Verbs (hablar)
- first person singular – infinitive + é – hablaré
- second person singular – infinitive + ás – hablarás
- third person singular – infinitive + á – hablará
- first person plural – infinitive + emos – hablaremos
- second person plural – infinitive + éis – hablaréis
- third person plural – infinitive + án – hablarán
Regular -er Verbs (comer)
- first person singular – infinitive + é – comeré
- second person singular – infinitive + ás – comerás
- third person singular – infinitive + á – comerá
- first person plural – infinitive + emos – comeremos
- second person plural – infinitive + éis – comeréis
- third person plural – infinitive + án – comerán
Regular -ir Verbs (vivir)
- first person singular – infinitive + é – viviré
- second person singular – infinitive + ás – vivirás
- third person singular – infinitive + á – vivirá
- first person plural – infinitive + emos – viviremos
- second person plural – infinitive + éis – viviréis
- third person plural – infinitive + án – vivurán
Note that the endings for all regular Spanish verbs are identical in the simple future.
Use of the Spanish Simple Future
The use of the simple future in Spanish is extremely similar to the use of the modal verb will in English with some slight differences. Spanish verbs in the simple future most often occur in sentences that express the following situations:
- Future actions or events
- Wonder or probability in the present
- In the verb clause adjacent to an if-clause
For example:
- Iré al banco mañana. “I will go to the bank tomorrow.”
- El año que viene iremos a España. “Next year we are going to Spain.”
- ¿Quién será ella? “I wonder who she could be.”
- Él estará viajando solo. “He is probably travelling alone.”
- Ella nos ayudará si le pagamos. “She will help us if we pay her.”
- Si tú vienes, yo estaré muy contento. “If you come, I will be very happy.”
However, use the simple present to express actions or states in the near future in Spanish.
The simple future expresses future discrete actions or states. Spanish language students must learn to form and use the simple future forms of Spanish verbs in order to fully use and understand verbs the Spanish language.
For the conjugations of irregular Spanish verbs in the simple future, please refer to The Simple Future of Irregular Spanish Verbs.
Note: I have studied Spanish as a foreign language. Please feel free to correct any mistakes that I have made in my Spanish.
References
Ramboz, Ina. 2008. Spanish verbs & essentials of grammar (Verbs and Essentials of Grammar Series), 2nd edn. New York: McGraw-Hill.
