Future Tense in Catalan

Overview

The simple future tense in Catalan is formed by adding endings directly to the infinitive, making it relatively straightforward to learn. At the B1 level, this tense allows you to talk about plans, predictions, and promises. It expresses what will happen.

The future endings are the same for all verb classes (-ar, -er/-re, -ir): -é, -às, -à, -em, -eu, -an. Several common verbs have irregular stems (they shorten or change the infinitive before adding the endings), but the endings themselves never change.

In everyday spoken Catalan, the periphrastic future (anar a + infinitive: Vaig a cantar — I'm going to sing) is often used alongside or instead of the simple future for near-future plans. The simple future tends to be used for predictions, promises, and more distant future events.

How It Works

Regular Future Formation

Person	cantar	beure	dormir
jo	cantaré	beuré	dormiré
tu	cantaràs	beuràs	dormiràs
ell/ella	cantarà	beurà	dormirà
nosaltres	cantarem	beurem	dormirem
vosaltres	cantareu	beureu	dormireu
ells/elles	cantaran	beuran	dormiran

Common Irregular Future Stems

Infinitive	Future stem	jo form
ser	ser-	seré
tenir	tindr-	tindré
venir	vindr-	vindré
fer	far-	faré
dir	dir-	diré
voler	voldr-	voldré
poder	podr-	podré
saber	sabr-	sabré
haver	haur-	hauré
valer	valdr-	valdré

Examples in Context

Catalan	English	Note
Demà aniré a Tarragona.	Tomorrow I will go to Tarragona.	Plan
Seràs feliç.	You will be happy.	Prediction
Tindrem temps.	We will have time.	Assurance
Quan vindran?	When will they come?	Question
Faré tot el possible.	I will do everything possible.	Promise
No sabré què dir.	I won't know what to say.	Uncertainty
Podreu venir dissabte?	Will you be able to come Saturday?	Asking about ability
L'any que ve viatjarem a Itàlia.	Next year we will travel to Italy.	Future plan
Plourà demà.	It will rain tomorrow.	Weather prediction
T'ho diré demà.	I'll tell you tomorrow.	Promise

Common Mistakes

Using the wrong irregular stem

• Wrong: Teniré temps.
• Right: Tindré temps.
• Why: "Tenir" has the irregular stem "tindr-" in the future, not the full infinitive.

Confusing future with conditional endings

• Future: cantaré, cantaràs, cantarà...
• Conditional: cantaria, cantaries, cantaria...
• Why: The future and conditional share the same stem but have different endings. Don't mix them.

Overusing the simple future in casual speech

• Formal/prediction: Demà plourà. (It will rain tomorrow.)
• Casual plan: Demà vaig a anar a la platja. (Tomorrow I'm going to go to the beach.)
• Why: In casual spoken Catalan, the periphrastic future (anar a + infinitive) is very common for plans. The simple future is more common for predictions and promises.

Usage Notes

The simple future in Catalan can also express probability about the present, just like Spanish and French: Seran les tres (It must be about three o'clock), Tindrà uns quaranta anys (He/she must be around forty). This epistemic use is common in all registers.

Practice Tips

1. Memorize the irregular stems in groups: tindr-, vindr- (both add -dr-); far-, dir- (shortened); podr-, sabr-, voldr-, haur-, valdr- (infinitive changes).
2. Practice making predictions: "Demà farà sol. L'any que ve seré millor en català. Algun dia viatjaré per tot el món."
3. Compare the simple future and periphrastic future for the same ideas: "Demà aniré..." vs. "Demà vaig a anar..."

Related Concepts

• Present Tense: -ar Verbs — the present tense foundation
• Conditional Mood — shares stems with the future
• Basic Conditional Sentences — using future in if-clauses