Russian · Chapter 8 · Lesson 14 · Grammar primer
The future, and aspect again
A perfective conjugates into the future; an imperfective needs быть plus the infinitive.
The short version
Budu goes with imperfectives only
An imperfective verb makes its future with budu plus the infinitive: ya budu delat. A perfective verb needs no helper, because its present-looking forms already mean the future: ya sdelayu. Budu sdelat is never correct, and budu is never followed by anything but an infinitive.
Ya tebe pomogu.
Use the future after if and when
English says if you call, I will come, with a present tense after if. Russian puts both halves in the future, and the same goes for kogda, when. A present tense in that clause will be understood, but it marks you as a foreigner every single time.
Kogda ya budu doma, ya pozvonyu.
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