future tense
/futuɾe tense/from spelling rules
In Spanish, 'will' is expressed using the future tense or the phrase ir a. If unsure, use future tense.
Meaning: indicating future action (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| future tense | /futuɾe tense/ (from spelling rules) |
| ir a | /iɾ a/ (from spelling rules) |
To indicate future actions, Spanish uses the synthetic 'future tense' or the construction ir a followed by an infinitive. When using ir a to express the future, you must always follow it with a verb in its infinitive form, such as one ending in -ar, -er or -ir.
Which one should you use?
The 'future tense' refers to the synthetic future, where endings are added directly to the infinitive. In contrast, ir a + infinitive is used for the near future or planned actions, similar to 'going to' in English. The ir a construction is often more common in spoken Spanish than the synthetic future.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The synthetic 'future tense' is formed by adding specific endings directly to the infinitive of the verb.
How do you pronounce it?
/futuɾe tense/
Did you know?
- The past tense of ir is so irregular that it actually comes from the Latin word for 'to be'. This is why fui ('I went') looks identical to the past tense of ser ('I was').
- While English uses 'will' to make a promise, Spanish often uses the present tense for the same purpose to show certainty. Saying Te lo doy mañana ('I give it to you tomorrow') is more common than using the future tense.
- The way Spanish expresses the future can sometimes sound like a statement of 'destiny' or 'inevitability' when using the synthetic future, compared to the more casual 'going to' feel of ir a.
Examples in context
- ¿Cuándo vas a ir a Armenia?When will you go to Armenia?This sentence uses ir a to ask about traveling to Armenia.Tatoeba #1782551 by hayastan, translation #1781626 by Amastan
- ¿Cuándo vas a ir al colegio?When will you go to school?This sentence uses ir a to ask about traveling to school.Tatoeba #1580330 by marcelostockle, translation #1580205 by fanty
- Voy a ir a Japón en el 2020.I will go to Japan in 2020.This sentence uses ir a to state a plan to travel to Japan.Tatoeba #9060236 by Galko, translation #9082873 by DJ_Saidez
- Mañana querré visitar el museo.Tomorrow I will want to visit the museum.
- Cuando llegues, ya habré terminado de cocinar.When you arrive, I will have already finished cooking.
- Mañana voy a estudiar para el examen.Tomorrow, I will study for the exam.
- Saldré más tarde porque pienso terminar este capítulo.I will leave later because I plan to finish this chapter.
- Tengo intención de llamar a mi familia este fin de semana.I have the intention of calling my family this weekend.
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “will” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, ir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
