Italian flag

Tense guide
Futuro semplice (Future)

Language: Italian
Tense:
Person:

Practice conjugation drills

Introduction

This verb tense is most often used to talk about actions or events that will happen in the future. However, it also has other important uses, including talking about possibilities in the present moment.

The most common use is to talk about future actions or planned events. You use it for things you know will happen.

Domani andrò al mercato.
(Tomorrow I will go to the market.)
La prossima settimana visiteremo i nostri nonni.
(Next week we will visit our grandparents.)
Il film comincerà alle nove.
(The movie will start at nine.)
L'anno prossimo imparerò a suonare la chitarra.
(Next year I will learn to play the guitar.)

You can also use this tense to make predictions about the future. It's for things you think will happen, but are not completely certain about.

Secondo me, pioverà.
(In my opinion, it will rain.)
Vedrai che tutto andrà bene.
(You'll see that everything will be okay.)
La nostra squadra vincerà la partita.
(Our team will win the game.)

A very important use is to express supposition or probability in the present. This is like saying "probably", "I guess", or "I wonder" in English. You are guessing about something happening now.

Che ore sono? Saranno le tre.
(What time is it? It's probably three o'clock.)
Marco non risponde al telefono. Sarà occupato.
(Marco isn't answering the phone. He's probably busy.)
Quanti anni ha? Avrà circa trent'anni.
(How old is he? He's probably about thirty years old.)
Chi è? Sarà il postino.
(Who is it? It's probably the mail carrier.)

Similarly, you can use it to ask questions that show doubt or uncertainty in the present.

Chi sarà alla porta a quest'ora?
(I wonder who is at the door at this hour?)
Cosa vorrà dirci?
(What could he possibly want to tell us?)

You can use this tense to make a promise or state a decision you have just made.

Ti prometto che studierò di più.
(I promise you that I will study more.)
Va bene, lo farò subito.
(Okay, I'll do it right away.)

Be careful! For actions happening very soon in the future, Italians often use the present tense. For example, saying "Domani vado al mare" (literally: Tomorrow I go to the sea) is very common and natural.

Conjugation patterns