The Future Simple Tense in Spanish

Are you ready to make plans with Spanish-speaking people in a natural, easy-going way?

For a quick start, you can use the ir + a + infinitive construction to talk about the future, but eventually you’ll want to build your grammar knowledge to include the future simple tense (which is just one word).

In this blog post, you’ll see why this tense is so useful, how to form it, when to use it, and the time expressions that trigger it. 

¡Hoy aprenderás mucho!
Today you’ll learn a lot!

Table of Contents:

• When To Use the Future Simple Tense in Spanish
• How To Form Regular Future Simple Tense in Spanish
• How To Form Irregular Future Simple Tense Forms
• Time Words and Triggers for Future Simple Tense
• Test Your Skills with This Multiple-Choice Quiz!
• Start Your Future of Fluent Spanish Today

When To Use the Future Simple Tense in Spanish

For the Future

As the name implies, the future simple tense in Spanish talks about the future.

Instead of using two words “will + infinitive,” in Spanish, you just need one word—a verb conjugated in future simple form.

Me casaré en septiembre.
I will get married in September.

Lloverá mañana.
It will rain tomorrow.

For the Present

You also use the future simple tense to talk about the probability of what somebody might be doing in the present.

Estará durmiendo ahora.
He is probably sleeping right now.

¿Serás tú quien ganará la competencia?
Will you be the one to win the competition?

For Predictions

You use it to express predictions about the future.

Cuando crezca, viviré en una casa grande.
When I grow up, I will live in a big house.

For Serious Commands

It is also used in formal contexts for solemn commands.

No matarás.
You shall not kill.

¡Te comerás todo!
You shall eat it all!

Let me put all the future simple tense uses in one place:

Future Simple Tense In Spanish: 4 Uses

1. To talk about the future
2. To express probability
3. To express predictions about the future
4. For solemn commands

How To Form Regular Future Simple Tense in Spanish

Forming the future SImple tense in Spanish is easy! All the three types of Spanish verbs (–ar, –er, and –ir) have the same endings.

Simply take the verb in its infinitive form—the one that you will find in a dictionary—and add the proper ending:

Endings for Future Simple Tense in Spanish

In the old Spanish, this tense was formed by using the auxiliary verb haber (to have) added to an infinitive. So for “I will fight,” you would hear Luchar he. (Literally, “fight I must.”) The voiceless h disappeared over the centuries and here we are, with the easy future simple tense endings.

Read an interesting story about the evolution of this tense in Spanish.

Example Spanish Sentences

Cocinaremos sopa.
We will cook soup.

Pintarán toda la escuela.
They will paint the whole school.

Tendrás problemas.
You’ll have trouble.

Viajaré en primera clase.
I’ll travel first class.

Comerá contigo.
He will eat with you.

How To Form Irregular Future Simple Tense Forms

The future simple tense is also easy to learn in its irregular forms. They all fall into three categories:

1. Forms that drop the –e or -i from the infinitive ending and add –d.
2. Forms that drop the –e or -i from the infinitive ending and add nothing.
3. Verbs that do not follow any pattern for irregularities.

For verbs that drop the final vowel and add the letter –d before adding the future tense endings, here is the conjugation for the verb poner (to put).

Future Tense Conjugation for Poner

¿Qué pondremos aquí?
What will we put here?

Other verbs that behave the same way include

• salir – to leave
• venir – to come
• tener – to have

Only -er verbs drop the final infinitive vowel in the future tense and add nothing in its place. After doing this, simply add the future tense endings.

Let’s see the verb saber (to know).

Future Tense Conjugation for Saber

Él sabrá ayudarte.
He will know how to help you.

Other verbs like saber are 

• poder – to be able to
• haber – to have
• querer – to want

The two verbs that don’t follow any pattern in the future tense and simply have an irregular stem are decir (to say) and hacer (to do).

Future Tense Conjugation for Decir

No te diré nada.
I won’t tell you anything.

Future Tense Conjugation for Hacer

¿Qué haremos mañana?
What will we do tomorrow?

Of course, other verbs that have decir or hacer in their root—such as predecir (to predict) and rehacer (to redo)—also have irregular future simple forms.

In case you’re wondering, ser (to be) is absolutely regular in the future tense in Spanish!

Un día seré doctor.
One day, I’ll be a doctor.

Time Words and Triggers for Future Simple Tense

Let’s see some useful time words that you may use with the future simple tense.

Future Time Words Chart

Example Sentences in Spanish

El mes próximo pagaremos las deudas.
Next month, we will pay the debts.

El martes vendrán tus tíos.
On Tuesday, your aunt and uncle will come.

Pasado mañana no habrá escuela.
The day after tomorrow there will be no school.

Este fin de semana nos iremos a las montañas.
This weekend, we’ll go to the mountains.

Mañana te llamaré.
Tomorrow, I’ll call you.

Hand-picked for you: 50+ Time Expressions in Spanish for Better Conversations

Test Your Skills with This Multiple-Choice Quiz!

Do you want to see if you learned how to use the future simple tense in Spanish? Choose the correct answer for each of the following questions.

Start Your Future of Fluent Spanish Today

As you can see, the future simple tense in Spanish is truly simple! Now you know how to form and use it. The only thing left is to practice it in a conversation. 

You might try talking about your future plans or predictions with your Spanish-speaking neighbors. Did you know that the U.S. is the second-largest Spanish-speaking country in the world? According to CNN, there are 41 million native Spanish speakers in the U.S. who speak Spanish in their homes.

However, if you have no Spanish-speaking neighbors or friends, let Homeschool Spanish Academy help you achieve your language goals. Sign up for a free trial class and start using future simple tense in a 1-to-1 conversation! Check out our affordable pricing and flexible programs to learn more.

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“HSA offers very affordable, quality, one on one classes with a native speaker. My son has greatly benefited from taking classes. We have seen his confidence increase as well as his pronunciation improve, because he learns from a native Spanish speaker. HSA has quick, personal customer service. Our family has been very pleased with our experience so far!”

– Erica P. Parent of 1

Ready to learn more Spanish grammar? Check these out!

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Olga Put

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

I'm a Spanish philologist, teacher, and freelance writer with a Master's degree in Humanities from Madrid. I speak Polish, Spanish, and English fluently, and want to get better in Portuguese and German. A lover of literature, and Mexican spicy cuisine, I've lived in Poland, Spain, and Mexico and I'm currently living and teaching in Madeira, Portugal.

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