Zullen (shall/will) in Dutch

The modal verb zullen is Dutch's way of expressing future actions, making suggestions, and giving promises. It corresponds to English "shall" or "will." While Dutch often uses the present tense or gaan + infinitive for future events (especially in casual speech), zullen remains important for suggestions, promises, and more formal future expressions.

The most common everyday use of zullen is in the question Zullen we...? (Shall we...?), which is how Dutch speakers make suggestions and proposals. You will hear it constantly: Zullen we gaan? (Shall we go?), Zullen we vanavond koken? (Shall we cook tonight?).

The conjugation has some variation in the second person, but the core forms are easy to learn.

Formation / How It Works

Present Tense Conjugation

Person	Dutch	English
ik	zal	I shall / will
jij / je	zult / zal	you shall / will
u	zult / zal	you shall / will (formal)
hij / zij / het	zal	he / she / it shall / will
wij / we	zullen	we shall / will
jullie	zullen	you (all) shall / will
zij / ze	zullen	they shall / will

Note: Zal is increasingly used for all singular forms, especially in speech. Zult is more formal and less common.

Sentence Structure

Subject	Modal	Middle	Infinitive (end)
Ik	zal	je morgen	bellen.
Wij	zullen	een taxi	nemen.
Het	zal	wel	lukken.

Uses of Zullen

Use	Example	English
Suggestion	Zullen we gaan?	Shall we go?
Promise	Ik zal het doen.	I will do it.
Future (formal)	Het zal morgen regenen.	It will rain tomorrow.
Prediction	Dat zal wel kloppen.	That will probably be right.
Offer	Zal ik je helpen?	Shall I help you?

Zullen vs. Gaan for Future

In spoken Dutch, gaan + infinitive is more common for simple future plans:

Zullen	Gaan	English
Ik zal morgen komen.	Ik ga morgen komen.	I will come tomorrow.

Gaan sounds more casual and certain; zullen sounds slightly more formal or carries a sense of promise or intent.

Examples in Context

Dutch	English	Note
Zullen we naar de bioscoop gaan?	Shall we go to the cinema?	Suggestion
Ik zal het proberen.	I will try.	Promise
Zal ik koffie zetten?	Shall I make coffee?	Offer
Het zal morgen mooi weer zijn.	It will be nice weather tomorrow.	Prediction
Wij zullen om acht uur vertrekken.	We will depart at eight.	Plan (formal)
Dat zal niet makkelijk zijn.	That will not be easy.	Prediction
Zullen we vanavond uit eten gaan?	Shall we go out for dinner tonight?	Suggestion
Ik zal je het adres sturen.	I will send you the address.	Promise
Ze zullen wel te laat komen.	They will probably arrive late.	Expectation
Zal ik de deur opendoen?	Shall I open the door?	Offer
Het zal wel lukken.	It will work out.	Reassurance

Common Mistakes

Wrong	Right	Why
Ik zullen komen.	Ik zal komen.	First person singular is zal, not the plural form.
Ik zal morgen kom.	Ik zal morgen komen.	The second verb must be in the infinitive.
Zullen we gaan? (when speaking to one person)	This is actually correct!	Zullen we is standard for suggestions, even when "we" means just two people.
Ik wil gaan morgen. (meaning "I will go")	Ik zal / ga morgen gaan.	Willen means "to want," not "will." For future, use zullen or gaan.

Practice Tips

1. Suggestion maker. Practice the Zullen we...? pattern with various activities: Zullen we zwemmen? Zullen we een film kijken? Zullen we samen eten? This is one of the most common conversational patterns in Dutch.

2. Promise practice. Make promises using Ik zal...: Ik zal op tijd zijn. Ik zal het niet vergeten. Ik zal mijn best doen. This gives the construction a real-life anchor.

3. Compare zullen and gaan. Say the same future sentence both ways: Ik zal morgen komen / Ik ga morgen komen. Notice how gaan feels more casual and zullen feels more deliberate.

Related Concepts

• Regular Verbs Present
• Gaan (to go)
• Kunnen (can/to be able)
• Basic Word Order