4.14 The future tense
In this section we will go over the conjugation of the future tense and its two uses.
The base for conjugating the future is exactly the same as the conditional, the only difference is the endings that denote the future.
Conjugation
As with the conditional, the majority of future verbs use the infinitive form as their base and add endings. The endsings are:
-é, ás, á, -emos, -éis, -án
Again, there is no difference between AR and ER/IR verbs. Let’s take a look at our three regular verbs (hablar, comer, abrir)
| hablar | comer | abrir | |
| Yo | hablaré | comeré | abriré |
| tú/vos | hablarás | comerás | abrirás |
| él/ella/elle/usted | hablará | comerá | abrirá |
| nosotros | hablaremos | comeremos | abriremos |
| vosotros | hablaréis | comeréis | abriréis |
| ellos/ustedes | hablarán | comerán | abrirán |
There are irregular verbs in the future. They are the same ones from the conditional with the same irregular root. The endings don’t change from the regular to irregular forms. Here they are again:
Forms that lose the “e” in the -er: caber (cabr-), haber (habr-), poder (podr-), saber (sabr-)
Forms that replace the “e” or “i” with “d”: poner (pondr-), salir (saldr-), tener (tendr-), valer (valdr-), venir (vendr-)
Other changes: decir (dir-), hacer (har-), querer (querr-)
What does the future mean?
There are three common ways of expressing the future, the present tense+a time word in the future, Ir+a+infinitivo and the future tense. The first two options, present tense+a time word in the future and ir+a+infinitivo are much more common, both in written and spoken Spanish.
The first line of Carta abierta a mi nieto o nieta uses the future tense with a future meaning. As we’ll see below, Gelman uses this form as he plays with grammar to express the pain at not knowing his nieto o nieta.
Dentro de seis meses cumplirás 19 años.
Another use for the future
The future conjugation can also be used to make guesses. Juan Gelman used this form of the future multiple times in his moving Carta abierta a mi nieto o nieta. Let’s look at some examples:
Habrás nacido algún día de octubre de 1976 en un campo de concentración del Ejército, el Pozo de Quilmes casi seguramente.
Quién sabe cómo serás si sos varón. Quién sabe cómo serás si sos mujer.
The future is used with the same meaning in Los censores:
¿qué habrá puesto en esa carta, qué habrá quedado adherido a esa hoja de papel que le envió a Mariana?
Future tense activities
- Activity to practice the future in guesses:
- Complete the bubble using future in guesses:
5. 
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