English Version

The future tense in Spanish is used for two purposes: 

1. To make a prediction about a situation or action taking place in a subsequent time from the present: future.
2. To make a supposition about a present situation, given we don’t know the whole situation yet. 

The first one might be very familiar to you, because it’s quite similar to many languages. We predict how the future will be:

Prepararemos un evento el próximo mes.

Next month we will prepare an event. 

Don’t forget the way Spanish expresses tenses is through endings not an extra word. That means in the previous sentence the word ‘will’ refers to ‘-emos‘. To form the future tense in regular verbs, we take the infinitive ‘preparar’ and add the following endings:

-é, -ás, -á, -emos, -án

Prepararé
Prepararás
Preparará
Prepararemos
Prepararán

The second purpose is to express suppositions. Let’s analyse a bit what a supposition means. According to Collins dictionary a supposition is:

“an idea or statement which someone believes or assumes to be true, although they may have no evidence for it.”

This differs a bit to the definition in Spanish:

Suposición: aquello que se supone (‖ se considera como cierto). 

Suponer: considerar como cierto o real algo a partir de los indicios que se tienen.

Although both definitions consider a statement to be true, in the Spanish definition we include we have some indications, signs or clues (indicios) to consider the truth of the statement. In English there is no evidence for it. 

Taking into consideration these differences, now we’re ready to understand when we’re expressing suppositions with the future tense:

A: ¿Dónde está Juan?

B: Teniendo en cuenta la hora, estará en el trabajo. 

A: Where is Juan?

B: Taking into account the time, I suppose (I guess, I think…) he’s at work

In this case we’re not talking about the action Juan will be doing in the future, it’s actually about what Juan is doing right now, in the present moment. Future to talk about the present? Yes, this device is used in Spanish to express a supposition based on some clues. It’s an inference we make because we’re not aware of the whole situation.

In the previous conversation, the person doesn’t really know where Juan is, but is making an inference about his location, taking into account the time, so she/he supposes where he is.

Why do we use this structure in Spanish?

Languages evolve and the devices used are collective creations. However, it would be useful you know that some sentences are more used to express an opinion, an argument in a debate or discussion, rather than a supposition:

Yo pienso que
Yo considero que
Yo supongo que
Yo creo que

Expressing suppositions through the future tense is more used in small talks. They relate to inferences based on some clues the speaker does. 

So, it would be too flowery to say: ‘Pienso que está en el trabajo’. It sounds as a very elaborated idea. If you’re just guessing then you would prefer to say ‘estará en el trabajo’. It sounds much more natural.

See these examples: 

To express prediction:

• Los resultados del proyecto serán muy buenos

The results of the project will be very good

• Los informes de resultados estarán listos mañana

Results reports will be ready tomorrow

In both sentences, we’re predicting what will happen in the future. 

However, in the following sentences, we express suppositions: 

• El jefe tendrá la reunión mañana, hoy está muy tarde. 

I suppose the boss will have the meeting tomorrow, I think today is quite late to have it.

• El gerente tendrá una incapacidad médica, hace varios días que no viene a la compañía. 

I suppose the manager is on medical leave, he hasn’t come to the company for some days. 

• ¿Será que van a ascender a Juan a coordinador? Él es el único que podría estar en el cargo después de que Carlos se vaya. 

Do you think Juan is going to be promoted? He is the only one who could be in that position after Carlos is gone. 

• Dónde estarán mis llaves…

I wonder where my keys are…

Notice here we have some irregular verbs such as ‘tener’: tendrá. 

The most common irregular verbs in the future tense are:

Decir      Dir-
Hacer      Har-
Querer         Querr-
Tener           Tendr-
Poner         Pond-
Caber         Cabr-
Saber         Sabr-
Valer           Valdr-
Salir           Saldr-
Venir           Vendr-
Poder       Podr-
Saber       Sabr-
Haber       Habr-

Here you’ll find more activities to practice: 

Selecciona: ¿Predicción? ¿Suposición?

• ¿Todas las carpetas cabrán en el cajón del escritorio? S
• ¿El director querrá venir a la fiesta? S
• ¿El jefe de ventas sabrá de los nuevos productos? S
• Los nuevos proyectos valdrán más de lo esperado, los costos han aumentado. P
• Habrá más empleados que apoyen el programa el próximo año P
• Los resultados de desempeño saldrán a fin de mes P
• El director regional vendrá en una semana P
• ¿Podremos enviar el informe a fin de mes? Lo dudo S
• ¿Qué dirán los jefes si tomamos la decisión sin consultarles? S
• ¿Qué proyecto haremos en el próximo trimestre? P

By Espanovo Team