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Spanish grammar Part of Chapter 10

CEFR A1-B1

2 min read

Test yourself (25 questions)

Spanish Future Tense: ir a, hablaré and Irregular Stems

By Michael McGettrick and Sergio Linares-HernandesUpdated 12 October 2026

The Spanish future tense keeps the whole infinitive and adds one ending for each person:

Quick check

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

Spot the mistake

0/3

Each sentence has one wrong future form. Tap it.

the future endingthe irregular stemWhat do the colours mean?
  • . - Tomorrow I'll speak to her.
  • ¿ ? - Will you come to the party?

In conversation, Spanish often says the same with ir a + infinitive: , I'm going to speak.

The future endings

One set of endings for -ar, -er and -ir alike, on the full infinitive:

PersonEndingcomer (to eat)
yo-é
-ás
, , -á
-emos
-éis
, -án
Nothing is chopped: comer + é gives comeré

The present and past tenses chop the -ar, -er or -ir off before the ending. The future (like the conditional) does not:

Verbyonosotrosellos

Every form has a written accent except :

  • Barcelona. - Next year I'll live in Barcelona.
  • . - We'll eat at two.

Irregular future stems

Twelve common verbs replace the infinitive with a shorter stem. The endings do not change. They fall into three groups:

GroupVerbStemyo
loses a vowelpodr-
sabr-
querr-
habr-
cabr-
adds a dtendr-
pondr-
saldr-
vendr-
valdr-
short stemhar-
dir-
tener drops its e and adds a d, then the ending: tendré
  • . - We won't have time.
  • . - I'll tell you the truth.
  • ¿ ? - What will you do tomorrow?

Verbs built on these copy them: gives , and gives . The conditional uses the same twelve stems: see the conditional.

Ir a or the future: which to use

Both are correct, and speakers mix them freely. The difference is tone:

UseUsual choiceExample
a plan, in chat a .
a firm promisefuture .
a forecastfuture .
writingfuture .
about to happen a .
  • . - I'll call you soon. (firmer than a )

For an arrangement with a time attached, Spanish also uses the plain present, where English uses -ing:

  • . - I'm leaving at eight tomorrow.

The future of probability

The future tense can also guess about the present:

  • ¿ ? - I wonder what time it is.
  • . - He/she must be at home.

It has its own page, the future and conditional of probability. At first it is enough to recognise it.

Mistakes English speakers make

WrongRightWhy
comirékeep the whole infinitive
teneré takes tendr-
deciré takes dir-
hablarémos has no accent
the accent is compulsory
. .arrangements take the present

What to do next

  1. Put -é on three infinitives aloud: , , .
  2. Learn the twelve stems in their three groups.
  3. Then the conditional, which reuses every one of them.

Practise: test yourself

Build the word

0/6

Build the future-tense form from its pieces.

  1. yo + hablar

    Accents optional

    Your word is empty.

  2. nosotros + comer

    Accents optional

    Your word is empty.

  3. ellos + vivir

    Accents optional

    Your word is empty.

  4. yo + tener

    Accents optional

    Your word is empty.

  5. tú + hacer

    Accents optional

    Your word is empty.

  6. él + decir

    Accents optional

    Your word is empty.

Sort into groups

0/8

How is the future stem made?

Tap a word, then the group it belongs in.

Spot the mistake

0/4

Each sentence has one wrong future form. Tap it.

Fill in the blank

0/5

Put the verb in brackets into the future tense. Mind the accents and the irregular stems.

  1. El año que viene yo en Barcelona. (vivir) (whole infinitive + é)

  2. Mañana nosotros no tiempo. (tener) (tendr-)

  3. ¿ tú a la fiesta? (venir) (vendr-)

  4. Ellos no venir hoy. (poder) (podr-)

  5. Mañana yo la comida. (hacer) (har-)

Pick the right one

0/2

Which future fits best: the everyday ir a, or the firmer future tense?

  1. A casual plan, said in conversation: mañana.

  2. A solemn promise: sin falta.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you form the future tense in Spanish?
Keep the whole infinitive and add -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis or -án: gives , gives , gives . The endings are the same for -ar, -er and -ir verbs, and every form except has a written accent.
What are the irregular future stems in Spanish?
Twelve common verbs: (tendr-), (pondr-), (saldr-), (vendr-), (valdr-), (podr-), (sabr-), (querr-), (habr-), (cabr-), (har-) and (dir-). They take the normal future endings: , , . Verbs built on them copy them: gives .
What is the difference between a and the future tense in Spanish?
In conversation, a + infinitive ( a ) is the usual way to talk about plans, like English going to. The future tense () sounds firmer or more formal, and is the norm in writing, promises and forecasts: . Both are correct. a has its own page.
Can you use the present tense for the future in Spanish?
Yes, for arrangements with a time attached: a , I'm leaving at eight tomorrow; a , the train arrives at five. Where English uses the present continuous for this, Spanish uses the simple present, so sounds foreign to most speakers.
What does the future tense mean in ¿ ?
A guess about now, not the future. ¿ ? is I wonder what time it is, and is he must be at home, or he's probably at home. This future of probability has its own page; at first it is enough to recognise it.