Key points about the future tense
The future tense is used to talk about plans for the future, eg tomorrow or next year.
It can be formed by using:
the present tense together with a future time phrase: eg, Morgen gehe ich ins Kino.Tomorrow I am going to the cinema.
the verb werden with an infinitive: eg, Nächstes Jahr werde ich meine Prüfungen machen.Next year I will do my exams.
a set phrase such as I hope to to indicate future plans: eg, Ich hoffe, auf die Universität zu gehen - I hope to go to university.
Using the present tense to express the future
Future plans can be expressed by using the present tense together with a Also known as a time adverb, indicates when and for how long an action is taking place..
For example:
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. – I am going to the cinema at the weekend with my sister.
Here are some key phrases:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | next year |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | next week |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | next Summer |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | on Monday |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | at the weekend |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | tomorrow |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | the day after tomorrow |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | later |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | in the future |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | in the holidays |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | after school |
Mini quiz
Translate the following sentences into English
- Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.
In the summer holidays I am travelling/going to Munich.
- Check your connection, refresh the page and try again.
I am doing my homework after school.
The future tense: werden + infinitive
The Used to talk about plans for the future. can be created using the correct form of werden with an Is the form of the verb you will find in a dictionary before the verb is conjugated. It is the basic form of the verb. In German in infinitive ends in -en or -n and the equivalent in English is (to) to play, to go, to listen. at the end of the sentence to say what will happen.
Examples include:
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. – On Monday I will go into town.
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. – In the summer holidays I will travel to Berlin.
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. – At the weekend I will celebrate my birthday.
The Also known as a helping verb which means it is used to help form the future tense. In German the auxiliary verb is werden.werden is the second idea in the sentence and the infinitive verb goes at the end.
It’s important to know how to Means changing the verb ending to match the person doing the action. werden correctly, as it’s an Also known as a strong verb which means there is a vowel change in the stem when the verb is conjugated..
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I will |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you will |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | he/she/it will |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | we will |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you (plural) will |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you (formal) will |
| Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | they will |
Test your understanding
Future tense phrases
Plans for the future can also be expressed using phrases which suggest something is likely to happen.
These phrases follow a similar pattern to werden + infinitive at the end of the sentence:
Examples:
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. + infinitive – I want to…
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. + infinitive – I would like to…
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. + infinitive – I would like to…
Example sentences:
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. – I want to get good grades in my exams.
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. – I would like to have a part-time job.
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. – I would like to do an apprenticeship.
Using other verbs + zu and the infinitive
Plans for the future can also be expressed using verbs which imply future plans eg hoffento hope, planento plan and vorhabento intend.
These phrases also talk about future plans, but they use zu before the infinitive verb.
They follow this pattern:
[main verb], + zu + infinitive
Examples:
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again., + zu + infinitive – I hope to…
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again., + zu + infinitive – I plan to…
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again., + zu + infinitive – I intend to…
Example sentences:
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. – I hope to have a great car.
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. – I plan to find a part-time job.
Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. – I intend to go to the cinema.
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