1. Forms of the future tense
09/28/09
Forms of the future tense
Y, ¿cuándo te irás?
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2. 09/28/09
The future tense (el futuro) takes the same endings for all –ar, –er, and –ir verbs. For regular verbs, the endings are added to the infinitive.
Note that all of the future tense endings carry a written accent except in the nosotros form.
¡ATENCIÓN!
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3. 09/28/09
For verbs with irregular future stems, the same endings are added to the irregular stem.
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4. Uses of the future tense
09/28/09
Uses of the future tense
In Spanish, as in English, the future tense is one of many ways to express actions or conditions that will happen in the future.
The future tense is used less frequently in Spanish than in English.
Te llamo mañana.
I’ll call you tomorrow.
Espero que vengan.
I hope they will come.
¡ATENCIÓN!
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.

5. 09/28/09
The English word will can refer either to future time or to someone’s willingness to do something. To express willingness, Spanish uses the verb querer + [infinitive], not the future tense.
¿Quieres contribuir a la protección del medio ambiente?
Quiero ayudar, pero no sé por dónde empezar.
Will you contribute to the protection of the environment?
I’ll help, but I don’t know where to begin.
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.

6. 09/28/09
In Spanish, the future tense may be used to express conjecture or probability, even about present events. English expresses this in various ways, using words and expressions such as wonder, bet, must be, may, might, and probably.
¿Qué hora será?
Ya serán las dos de la mañana.
I wonder what time it is.
It must be 2 a.m. by now.
¿Estará lloviendo en Medellín?
Hará un poco de sol y un poco de viento.
Do you think it’s raining in Medellín?
It’s probably a bit sunny and windy.
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7. 09/28/09
When the present subjunctive follows a conjunction of time like cuando, después (de) que, en cuanto, hasta que, and tan pronto como, the future tense is often used in the main clause of the sentence.
Nos quedaremos lejos de la costa hasta que pase el huracán.
We’ll stay far from the coast until the hurricane passes.
En cuanto termine de llover, regresaremos a casa.
As soon as it stops raining, we’ll go back home.
Tan pronto como salga el sol, iré a la playa a tomar fotos.
As soon as the sun comes up, I’ll go to the beach to take photos.
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher Learning, Inc.