Kilo Lingo
Mandarin grammar

CEFR A1-B1

3 min read

Test yourself (18 questions)

Mandarin Future Tense: 会, 要, 打算 and 快要...了

By Michael McGettrick and Wee Khang LinUpdated 12 October 2026

Mandarin has no future tense. The verb never changes, and a time word is often all you need: (wǒ míngtiān qù Běijīng), I'm going to Beijing tomorrow. A handful of words then say how sure, how planned or how close the future is.

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Pick the right one

0/3

Pick the word the English asks for: 会 (huì) for a prediction, 要 (yào) for something decided, 打算 (dǎsuàn) for a plan.

  1. 我不 去。 (I'm not planning to go.)

    wǒ bù ___ qù 。 (I'm not planning to go.)

  2. 你 做什么？ (What are you planning to do?)

    nǐ ___ zuò shén me ？ (What are you planning to do?)

  3. 他不 来。 (He won't come, I'm sure of it.)

    tā bù ___ lái 。 (He won't come, I'm sure of it.)

The whole picture

the word that points aheadWhat do the colours mean?
HanziPinyinEnglish
。Wǒ míngtiān qù Běijīng.I'm going to Beijing tomorrow
。Míngtiān huì xiàyǔ.It'll rain tomorrow
。Xià ge yuè wǒ yào qù Zhōngguó.I'm going to China next month
。Wǒ dǎsuàn xià ge yuè qù Zhōngguó.I'm planning to go next month
。Wǒ zhǔnbèi zǒu le.I'm getting ready to go
。Yào xiàyǔ le.It's about to rain

How far ahead each one usually points:

  • 要下雨了 yào xiàyǔ le: any minute

  • 我准备走了 wǒ zhǔnbèi zǒu le: getting ready

  • 明天会下雨 míngtiān huì xiàyǔ: tomorrow, probably

  • 我打算下个月去 wǒ dǎsuàn xià ge yuè qù: a plan

Timeline from now to later, with now marked.

A time word is enough

The verb stays exactly as it is; the time word sits after the subject or at the front:

HanziPinyinEnglish
。Wǒ míngtiān qù.I'm going tomorrow
。Xià ge xīngqī wǒ huílai.I'll be back next week

(le) does not mark the future. 。 is wrong for "I'll go to Beijing tomorrow".

会 (huì): what will probably happen

(huì) predicts. Its negative (bú huì) is a confident "won't":

HanziPinyinEnglish
。Míngtiān huì xiàyǔ.It'll rain tomorrow
。Tā bú huì lái.He won't come

With (de) at the end, (huì) becomes a promise or a reassurance:

  • 。 (Wǒ huì lái de.) - I will come, I promise.
  • 。 (Nǐ huì xǐhuan de.) - You'll like it.

The same (huì) also means "can, having learned how": that use is on modal verbs.

要 (yào): what is decided

(yào) says the future is wanted or settled, like English "I'm going to":

  • 。 (Xià ge yuè wǒ yào qù Zhōngguó.) - I'm going to China next month.

With the weather, forecasts too: 。 (Míngtiān yào xiàyǔ.) - It's going to rain tomorrow.

The difference from (huì) is certainty of a different kind. (wǒ huì qù) predicts or promises; (wǒ yào qù) announces a decision.

打算 (dǎsuàn) and 准备 (zhǔnbèi): plans

(dǎsuàn) is a plan, near or far. (zhǔnbèi) is getting ready, often for something soon:

HanziPinyinEnglish
？Nǐ dǎsuàn zuò shénme?What are you planning to do?
。Wǒ bù dǎsuàn qù.I'm not planning to go
。Wǒ zhǔnbèi zǒu le.I'm getting ready to go
。Tā zhǔnbèi qù Yīngguó xuéxí.He's getting ready to go and study in Britain

Both are also nouns or plain verbs: ？ (Nǐ yǒu shénme dǎsuàn?) - What are your plans? 。 (Wǒ zài zhǔnbèi wǎnfàn.) - I'm getting dinner ready.

快要...了 (kuàiyào...le): about to happen

Wrap the verb in (kuài yào)... (le), (yào)... (le) or (kuài)... (le), and the thing is about to happen. The (le) at the end is needed:

HanziPinyinEnglish
。Huǒchē kuàiyào kāi le.The train is about to leave
。Yào xiàyǔ le.It's about to rain
。Kuài dào le.We're nearly there

(kuàiyào) cannot take a time word. With one, switch to ... (jiùyào...le), or plain ...:

  • 。 (Tā míngtiān jiùyào zǒu le.) - He's leaving tomorrow.

Mistakes English speakers make

WrongRightWhy
。。 (le) does not mark the future
。。the time word comes before the verb
。。a time word takes (jiù yào), not (kuài yào)
。。as a full sentence, (kuài yào) needs the (le)

(dǎsuàn) for future plans is on the AQA GCSE Chinese specification at Foundation and Higher tier; (zhǔnbèi) and ... (yào...le) for something about to happen are Higher-tier points.

What to do next

  1. Say three things you will do this week, each with its time word first.
  2. Read modal verbs for (huì), (yào) and (xiǎng) as "can" and "want".
  3. Then aspect markers, for the (le) that does mark something.

Practise: test yourself

Pick the right one

0/4

Pick the word the English asks for: 会 (huì) for a prediction, 要 (yào) for something decided, 打算 (dǎsuàn) for a plan.

  1. 我不 去。 (I'm not planning to go.)

    wǒ bù ___ qù 。 (I'm not planning to go.)

  2. 你 做什么？ (What are you planning to do?)

    nǐ ___ zuò shén me ？ (What are you planning to do?)

  3. 他不 来。 (He won't come, I'm sure of it.)

    tā bù ___ lái 。 (He won't come, I'm sure of it.)

  4. 你 喜欢的。 (You'll like it, I promise.)

    nǐ ___ xǐ huan de 。 (You'll like it, I promise.)

Spot the mistake

0/3

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

  1. nǐ shén me shí hou zǒu ？ wǒ míng tiān kuài yào zǒu le 。

  2. wǒ huì qù běi jīng míng tiān 。

  3. míng tiān dǎ suan xià yǔ 。

Complete the story

0/4

Choose the word for each gap.

Leaving for China

我下个月去中国。你去中国做什么？我想在北京学习。好！火车开了！你会想我吗？我想你的！

Gap 1 of 4

Put the words in order

0/3

Put the words in order.

  1. I'm going to Beijing tomorrow.

    Your sentence is empty.

  2. The train is about to leave.

    Your sentence is empty.

  3. He's leaving tomorrow.

    Your sentence is empty.

Matching

0/4

Match each sentence to its English.

Chapters 1 and 2 free

This article is one lesson in a whole course

Every grammar point has its own article and drill, and the course wraps them in graded stories, games and printable worksheets, in the order you need them.

Chapters 1 and 2 free, forever. Plus: 7 days free, then $5 a month for all eleven languages.

Start learning free

Mandarin · Free printables

Practice worksheets and infographics

Practice worksheets with answer keys built in, plus infographic and listicle formats. Open any one to view, print or save.

Free for members

The printable worksheets, infographics and PDFs are free with an account. Start a free week and download as many as you like.

Start your free week

Frequently asked questions

Does Mandarin have a future tense?
No. The verb never changes form, and a time word does the job: (wǒ míngtiān qù), I'm going tomorrow. Words such as (huì), (yào) and (dǎsuàn) add how sure or how planned the future is, but none of them is required.
What is the difference between (huì) and (yào) for the future?
(huì) predicts: (míngtiān huì xiàyǔ), it'll rain tomorrow. (yào) says something is decided or wanted: (xià ge yuè wǒ yào qù Zhōngguó), I'm going to China next month. ... can also be a promise: (wǒ huì lái de), I will come.
How do you say 'about to' in Mandarin?
... (kuàiyào...le) or ... (yào...le) around the verb: (huǒchē kuàiyào kāi le), the train is about to leave. ... (kuài...le) works too: (kuài dào le), we're nearly there.
Why is (tā míngtiān kuàiyào zǒu le) wrong?
... (kuàiyào...le) does not take a time word. With one, use ... (jiùyào...le): (tā míngtiān jiùyào zǒu le), he's leaving tomorrow. Plain ... works too: .
What is the difference between (dǎsuàn) and (zhǔnbèi)?
(dǎsuàn) is a plan, near or far: (wǒ dǎsuàn xià ge yuè qù Zhōngguó), I'm planning to go to China next month. (zhǔnbèi) is getting ready, often for something soon: (wǒ zhǔnbèi zǒu le), I'm getting ready to go.