Back to: Spanish Verb Tenses Practice – Course
Lesson #11: Simple Future in Spanish
In this lesson, you will learn how to conjugate the Simple Future tense in Spanish using the infinitives -ar, -er, and -ir. The Simple Future tense is used to express actions that will happen in the future. It is formed by conjugating the verb directly in the future tense without needing to remove the infinitive ending.
1. How to Form the Simple Future in Spanish:
To form the Simple Future tense in Spanish, you simply add the following future tense endings to the infinitive form of the verb (whether it ends in -ar, -er, or -ir):
| Subject Pronoun | Endings |
|---|---|
| Yo (I) | -é |
| Tú (You, informal) | -ás |
| Él/Ella (He/She) | -á |
| Nosotros (We) | -emos |
| Vosotros (You all, informal, used in Spain) | -éis |
| Ellos/Ellas (They) | -án |
Example with the verb hablar (to speak):
| Subject | Hablar (Infinitive) | Conjugation (Simple Future) |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | hablar | hablaré |
| Tú | hablar | hablarás |
| Él/Ella | hablar | hablará |
| Nosotros | hablar | hablaremos |
| Vosotros | hablar | hablaréis |
| Ellos/Ellas | hablar | hablarán |
2. How to Use the Simple Future:
The Simple Future tense is used to express:
- Actions that will happen in the future.
- Predictions, plans, or intentions.
- Promises or commitments.
Examples:
- Yo hablaré con ella mañana. (I will talk to her tomorrow.)
- Nosotros iremos al cine el sábado. (We will go to the cinema on Saturday.)
- Ellos comerán en el restaurante esta noche. (They will eat at the restaurant tonight.)
3. Irregular Verbs in the Simple Future:
Some verbs have irregular future stems, but they still use the same endings as regular verbs. Here are a few common irregular verbs in the Simple Future tense:
| Infinitive | Future Stem | Conjugation Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Tener (to have) | tendr- | Yo tendré (I will have) |
| Haber (to have) | habr- | Nosotros habremos (We will have) |
| Poder (to be able to) | podr- | Tú podrás (You will be able to) |
| Hacer (to do, to make) | har- | Él hará (He will do) |
| Decir (to say) | dir- | Ellos dirán (They will say) |
| Venir (to come) | vendr- | Yo vendré (I will come) |
4. Conjugation Examples for Regular Verbs:
For -ar Verbs (Example: hablar):
| Subject | Infinitive | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | hablar | hablaré |
| Tú | hablar | hablarás |
| Él/Ella | hablar | hablará |
| Nosotros | hablar | hablaremos |
| Vosotros | hablar | hablaréis |
| Ellos/Ellas | hablar | hablarán |
For -er Verbs (Example: comer):
| Subject | Infinitive | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | comer | comeré |
| Tú | comer | comerás |
| Él/Ella | comer | comerá |
| Nosotros | comer | comeremos |
| Vosotros | comer | comeréis |
| Ellos/Ellas | comer | comerán |
For -ir Verbs (Example: vivir):
| Subject | Infinitive | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| Yo | vivir | viviré |
| Tú | vivir | vivirás |
| Él/Ella | vivir | vivirá |
| Nosotros | vivir | viviremos |
| Vosotros | vivir | viviréis |
| Ellos/Ellas | vivir | vivirán |
5. Usage in Context:
The Simple Future tense is widely used to describe future events. It is similar to the English future tense and can be used in a variety of situations.
Examples:
- Yo estudiaré para el examen. (I will study for the exam.)
- Tú vivirás en Madrid el próximo año. (You will live in Madrid next year.)
- Nosotros comeremos en casa esta noche. (We will eat at home tonight.)
- Ellos viajarán a México el próximo verano. (They will travel to Mexico next summer.)
6. Quick Recap:
The Simple Future tense is used to describe actions that will happen in the future. It is formed by adding the future tense endings (-é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án) to the infinitive verb. Irregular verbs have unique stems but use the same endings.
7. Quiz:
Now it’s time to test your knowledge! Please answer the following 5 questions about the Simple Future tense.
- How do you form the Simple Future tense in Spanish?
- What is the future conjugation of the verb hablar for the subject yo?
- How do you say “They will study” in Spanish?
- What is the future stem for the verb hacer?
- How do you say “We will live in Spain” in Spanish?
8. Conclusion:
You have learned how to conjugate verbs in the Simple Future tense in Spanish. This tense is essential for expressing actions that will occur in the future. Keep practicing, and soon you will be able to talk about your future plans with confidence!
We wish you the best of luck in your learning process!