Chapter 13: Future Tense

Argentine Spanish Level A2

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🎯 CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

After completing this chapter you will be able to:

• ✅ Master the IR + A + Infinitive structure
• ✅ Learn Future Simple conjugation
• ✅ Express future plans
• ✅ Make predictions and conjectures
• ✅ Understand future tense usage in Argentina
• ✅ Plan daily activities in Buenos Aires

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🚀 13.1. IR + A + Infinitive (Near Future)

The most common future expression in Spanish is the IR + A + Infinitive structure. This construction is used to talk about actions we are going to perform in the near future.

📚 IR Verb Conjugation (Present)

🔄 IR + A + Infinitive Structure

Formula: IR (conjugated) + A + Verb (infinitive)

Examples:

• Voy a estudiar español = I'm going to study Spanish
• Vas a viajar a Buenos Aires = You're going to travel to Buenos Aires
• Va a llover mañana = It's going to rain tomorrow
• Vamos a cenar empanadas = We're going to have empanadas for dinner
• Van a ver una película = They're going to watch a movie

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires Examples

Daily Plans:

• "Voy a tomar el subte hasta el centro" (I'm going to take the subway to downtown)
• "Vamos a almorzar en Puerto Madero" (We're going to have lunch in Puerto Madero)
• "Van a bailar tango en San Telmo" (They're going to dance tango in San Telmo)

Weekend Plans:

• "El sábado voy a ir a la feria de Mataderos" (On Saturday I'm going to go to the Mataderos fair)
• "Vas a conocer la Boca el domingo" (You're going to visit La Boca on Sunday)
• "Vamos a hacer un asado en casa" (We're going to have a barbecue at home)

⏰ Time Expressions

❓ Question Structure

Yes/No Questions:

• ¿Vas a estudiar esta noche? = Are you going to study tonight?
• ¿Van a venir a la fiesta? = Are they going to come to the party?
• ¿Vamos a tomar mate? = Are we going to drink mate?

Information Questions:

• ¿Qué vas a hacer mañana? = What are you going to do tomorrow?
• ¿Dónde van a cenar? = Where are they going to have dinner?
• ¿Cuándo vamos a salir? = When are we going to leave?

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⚡ 13.2. Future Simple Conjugation

Future Simple is used to express more general future actions, predictions, and promises.

📝 Regular Verb Conjugation

Same endings for all verbs: -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -án, -án

HABLAR example:

COMER example:

VIVIR example:

🌟 Irregular Verbs in Future Tense

Some verbs change their stem in the Future:

TENER (to have) → TENDR-

HACER (to do/make) → HAR-

• yo haré, vos harás, él hará...

PODER (to be able to) → PODR-

• yo podré, vos podrás, él podrá...

SABER (to know) → SABR-

• yo sabré, vos sabrás, él sabrá...

VENIR (to come) → VENDR-

• yo vendré, vos vendrás, él vendrá...

SALIR (to go out) → SALDR-

• yo saldré, vos saldrás, él saldrá...

🔍 Complete List of Irregular Verbs

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📅 13.3. Expressing Future Plans

To express our future plans we can use both IR + A + Infinitive and Future Simple.

🗓️ Short-term Plans (IR + A + Infinitive)

Tonight:

• Esta noche voy a quedarme en casa (Tonight I'm going to stay home)
• Vas a cocinar algo rico (You're going to cook something delicious)
• Vamos a ver una serie (We're going to watch a series)

Tomorrow:

• Mañana voy a levantarme temprano (Tomorrow I'm going to get up early)
• Vas a ir al gimnasio (You're going to go to the gym)
• Va a llover según el pronóstico (It's going to rain according to the forecast)

This Weekend:

• El sábado vamos a hacer un asado (On Saturday we're going to have a barbecue)
• Vas a visitar a tus abuelos (You're going to visit your grandparents)
• Van a ir al cine (They're going to go to the movies)

🎯 Long-term Plans (Future Simple)

This Year:

• Este año estudiaré más español (This year I will study more Spanish)
• Viajarás a Argentina (You will travel to Argentina)
• Ahorraremos dinero para las vacaciones (We will save money for vacation)

Next Year:

• El próximo año me mudaré a Buenos Aires (Next year I will move to Buenos Aires)
• Terminarás la universidad (You will finish university)
• Compraremos una casa (We will buy a house)

💼 Career Plans

Work Life:

• Buscaré un trabajo mejor (I will look for a better job)
• Aprenderás nuevas habilidades (You will learn new skills)
• Abriré mi propio negocio (I will open my own business)

Education:

• Estudiaré una maestría (I will study for a master's degree)
• Tomarás clases de tango (You will take tango classes)
• Aprenderemos portugués también (We will also learn Portuguese)

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🔮 13.4. Predictions and Conjectures

Future Simple is frequently used to express predictions, conjectures, and uncertainty.

🌤️ Weather Predictions

• Mañana hará calor (Tomorrow it will be hot)
• Lloverá toda la semana (It will rain all week)
• El fin de semana estará nublado (The weekend will be cloudy)
• En invierno nevará en la montaña (In winter it will snow in the mountains)

⚽ Sports Predictions

Football:

• Boca ganará el próximo partido (Boca will win the next match)
• River jugará mejor en casa (River will play better at home)
• Argentina será campeona del mundo (Argentina will be world champion)

💰 Economic Forecasts

• Los precios subirán el próximo mes (Prices will rise next month)
• El dólar bajará un poco (The dollar will drop a little)
• La economía mejorará gradualmente (The economy will improve gradually)

❓ Uncertainty Expressions

In Conjectural Sentences:

• ¿Dónde estará Juan? (Where could Juan be?)
• Serán las 3 de la tarde (It must be around 3 PM)
• Tendrá unos 30 años (He/she must be around 30 years old)
• Costará mucho dinero (It will probably cost a lot of money)

🔗 Prediction Patterns

Certain Prediction:

• Seguramente + future: "Seguramente llegará tarde" (He will surely arrive late)
• Sin duda + future: "Sin duda será exitoso" (He will undoubtedly be successful)

Uncertain Prediction:

• Probablemente + future: "Probablemente vendrá" (He will probably come)
• Tal vez + future: "Tal vez compremos una casa" (We might buy a house)
• Quizás + future: "Quizás viajemos juntos" (We might travel together)

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🇦🇷 13.5. Future Tense Usage in Argentina

Argentine Spanish has particular characteristics in the use of future tense.

🗣️ Preferences in Daily Conversation

IR + A + Infinitive More Common: In Buenos Aires, the IR + A + Infinitive structure is much more frequent than Future Simple in daily conversations.

Common Usage:

• "¿Qué vas a hacer esta noche?" (What are you going to do tonight?)
• "Voy a ir al súper" (I'm going to go to the supermarket)
• "Vamos a comer algo rico" (We're going to eat something delicious)

Less Common:

• "¿Qué harás esta noche?" (more formal)
• "Iré al supermercado" (more formal)
• "Comeremos algo rico" (more formal)

🎭 Future in Tango and Music

In Tango Songs: In tango lyrics, Future Simple is usually used because it creates a more emotional and poetic effect.

• "Volverás a mí" (You will return to me)
• "Seremos felices otra vez" (We will be happy again)
• "Bailaremos hasta el amanecer" (We will dance until dawn)

📺 Media and News

Journalistic Language: On television and in newspapers, Future Simple is preferred.

• "El presidente visitará Buenos Aires" (The president will visit Buenos Aires)
• "Aumentarán las temperaturas" (Temperatures will increase)
• "Habrá nuevas medidas económicas" (There will be new economic measures)

💬 Examples of Porteño Language

Typical Buenos Aires Conversations:

Among Friends:

• A: "¿Qué vas a hacer el sábado?" (What are you going to do on Saturday?)
• B: "Voy a ir a la cancha de Racing" (I'm going to go to Racing's stadium)
• A: "¿Vas a ir solo?" (Are you going alone?)
• B: "No, vamos a ir con los pibes del barrio" (No, we're going with the neighborhood guys)

In the Family:

• Mamá: "Voy a cocinar milanesas" (I'm going to cook milanesas)
• Hijo: "¿Vas a hacer puré también?" (Are you going to make mashed potatoes too?)
• Mamá: "Sí, y vamos a cenar temprano" (Yes, and we're going to have dinner early)

At Work:

• Jefe: "Mañana va a venir un cliente importante" (Tomorrow an important client is going to come)
• Empleado: "¿Vamos a preparar una presentación?" (Are we going to prepare a presentation?)
• Jefe: "Sí, vas a trabajar con María en eso" (Yes, you're going to work with María on that)

🏟️ Future in Football Culture

At the Stadium:

• "¡Vamos a ganar este partido!" (We're going to win this match!)
• "El próximo domingo vamos a ir a la cancha" (Next Sunday we're going to go to the stadium)
• "Messi va a jugar en Argentina otra vez" (Messi is going to play in Argentina again)

🍖 In Asado Culture

Weekend Plans:

• "El domingo vamos a hacer asado en lo de mi hermano" (On Sunday we're going to have a barbecue at my brother's place)
• "¿Vas a traer vino?" (Are you going to bring wine?)
• "Voy a comprar chorizo y morcilla" (I'm going to buy chorizo and blood sausage)

🧉 In Mate Culture

Daily Rituals:

• "Voy a cebar unos mates" (I'm going to prepare some mates)
• "¿Vas a tomar mate conmigo?" (Are you going to drink mate with me?)
• "Vamos a charlar tomando mate" (We're going to chat while drinking mate)