In Spanish, the future tense is used to discuss forthcoming events or actions, make predictions, or express probability. This article introduces you to the conjugation of regular and irregular, non-stem changing verbs in the future tense.
Conjugation Rules
One of the distinctive features of the Spanish future tense is its relative simplicity. Unlike some other tenses, the future tense does not require stem changes for regular verbs. The future tense endings are added directly to the infinitive form of the verb. This makes it straightforward and easy to learn, even for beginners.
The standard endings for regular verbs in the future tense are as follows:
- For “yo” (I): -é
- For “tú” (you, singular informal): -ás
- For “él/ella/usted” (he/she/you, singular formal): -á
- For “nosotros/nosotras” (we): -emos
- For “ellos/ellas/ustedes” (they/you, plural): -án
Conjugation Chart
Here is a conjugation chart for the regular verb “hablar” (to speak) in the future tense:
| Pronoun | Hablar |
|---|---|
| Yo | hablaré |
| Tú | hablarás |
| Él/Ella/Usted | hablará |
| Nosotros/Nosotras | hablaremos |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | hablarán |
Take note of how the endings are appended directly to the infinitive form of the verb, making it easy to form the future tense.
Non-Stem Changing Irregular Verbs
A group of irregular verbs in the future tense retain their infinitive form, but adopt unique endings. These verbs include “ir” (to go), “ser” (to be), and “haber” (to have).
For instance, “ir” in the future tense is as follows:
| Pronoun | Ir |
|---|---|
| Yo | iré |
| Tú | irás |
| Él/Ella/Usted | irá |
| Nosotros/Nosotras | iremos |
| Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes | irán |
While some verbs undergo more complex changes in the future tense, we will cover these in a future lesson. For now, concentrating on the conjugation of regular and non-stem changing irregular verbs in the future tense will provide a solid foundation for your Spanish language study.