El futuro simple: predicciones,

Most Spanish tenses require you to remove -ar, -er, or -ir. Not this one! The futuro simple is the lazy learner's dream. You take the entire infinitive verb. Then, you simply glue a new ending onto it. These endings are the same for all three verb groups. Whether it's hablar, comer, or vivir, the endings never change. This makes it one of the most consistent patterns in the language. Think of it as a universal remote for the future. You have one set of buttons for every device. It is refreshing because you don't have to memorize three different tables. Just remember one list of six endings. Most of these endings even have a little hat—an accent mark. These marks are vital. They tell you to stress the end of the word. Without them, you might accidentally say something in the past! It is like a grammar traffic light. The accent mark says "Go loud on this syllable."

1. 1Ready to build some future verbs? Follow these simple steps. It is as easy as building a LEGO set.
2. 2Start with the Infinitive. This is the verb in its original form (like viajar, leer, or escribir).
3. 3Do not remove the ending. Keep that -ar, -er, or -ir right where it is.
4. 4Add the Future Endings to the very end of the word:
5. 5yo: -é (e.g., viajaré)
6. 6tú: -ás (e.g., viajarás)
7. 7él/ella/usted: -á (e.g., viajará)
8. 8nosotros/as: -emos (e.g., viajaremos)
9. 9vosotros/as: -éis (e.g., viajaréis)
10. 10ellos/ellas/ustedes: -án (e.g., viajarán)
11. 11Watch out for the Irregulars. A few verbs change their stem slightly. They still use the same endings, but the base looks different. For example, tener becomes tendr-. So, "I will have" is tendré. It is like a small detour on a straight road. You still get to the same destination.

This tense isn't just for fortune tellers. You will use it in many real-life situations.

• Weather Forecasts: "It will rain tomorrow" is lloverá mañana.
• Predictions: "You will find love in Madrid" is encontrarás el amor en Madrid.
• Solemn Promises: "I will always love you" is te amaré siempre.
• Expressing Probability: This is a cool trick. If someone asks "Where is Maria?" and you guess "She's probably at home," you say estará en casa. You are predicting her current location!
• Horoscopes: "Leo will have a great week" is Leo tendrá una gran semana.
• Future Events: "The concert will start at eight" is el concierto empezará a las ocho.

Think of it like a weather app on your phone. It tells you what is coming, even if you aren't 100% sure yet. It adds a layer of distance between now and the action.

Don't use this for everything in the future. Spanish is specific.

• Immediate Plans: If you are about to do something, use ir a + infinitivo. If you are picking up the phone right now, say voy a contestar. The futuro simple feels too distant for that.
• Present Certainty: If something is happening now, stick to the present tense.
• Commands: While you *can* use it for commands (like the Ten Commandments), it sounds very harsh. In a restaurant, don't say me traerás un café. It sounds like a prophecy! Instead, use ¿me traes...? or quisiera....
• Scheduled Near Future: If the train leaves in five minutes, use the present: el tren sale en cinco minutos. It feels more certain that way.

Even native speakers mess this up sometimes, so don't sweat it.

• Dropping the accent marks: This is the big one. hablará (he will speak) is not the same as hablara (a different mood entirely). Those little lines matter.
• Overusing it: Many learners use futuro simple for every future idea. Remember that ir a is much more common in daily conversation. Using the simple future for "I'm going to the store in ten minutes" sounds a bit like a dramatic movie trailer.
• Irregular stems: Forgetting that hacer becomes har- instead of haceré. haceré isn't a word, even if it sounds logical.
• Mixing up nosotros: The emos ending does not have an accent. It is the only one in the group that stays humble. Don't force an accent where it doesn't belong!

You have two main ways to talk about the future: Futuro Simple and Ir a + Infinitivo.

• Futuro Simple: It is formal, poetic, or used for predictions. It feels like a "will." "Computers will rule the world" (las computadoras dominarán el mundo).
• Ir a + Infinitivo: It is informal, conversational, and used for intentions. It feels like "going to." "I am going to eat a taco" (voy a comer un taco).

If you are chatting with a friend about your weekend, stick to ir a. If you are writing a formal report about the economy in 2030, use the futuro simple. It's like choosing between a tuxedo and a t-shirt. Both cover your body, but they send different vibes.