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German · Grammar · A2 to B2

The German future: ich fahre morgen, ich werde fahren, and er wird wohl schlafen

Pick a moment on the timeline · pick what you mean
Present + time word · natural
IchIfahredriveheute Abendthis eveningnach Berlin.to Berlin
ikh FAA-re HOI-te AA-bent nakh ber-LEEN · “I’m going to Berlin this evening.”
Werden + infinitive · emphatic
IchIwerdewillheute Abendthis eveningnach Berlinto Berlinfahren.drive
ikh VAIR-de HOI-te AA-bent nakh ber-LEEN FAA-ren · “I will go to Berlin this evening.”
Why: For a plan with a clear time word, Germans normally just use the present tense. Werden adds emphasis, like a promise or a firm decision: everyday speech would use the first form.

Short answer: for plans, German usually uses the present tense plus a time word: Ich fahre morgen nach Berlin (“I’m going to Berlin tomorrow”). The future tense, werden + infinitive at the end, is for predictions, promises and firm intentions: Es wird regnen. With wohl or wahrscheinlich, it expresses a guess about now: Er wird wohl schlafen (“He’s probably asleep”).

Forming the Futur I

Werden + infinitive at the end

Werden (“to become”) changes for each person and sits in second place; the main verb goes to the very end in its dictionary form, the infinitive. This is the same verb bracket as with modal verbs.

PersonwerdenSay it
ichwerdeVAIR-de
duwirstVIRST
er / sie / eswirdVIRT
wirwerdenVAIR-den
ihrwerdetVAIR-det
sie / SiewerdenVAIR-den
werden in 2nd place, infinitive at the end
Wirwewerdenwilldas Hausthe houserenovieren.renovate
veer VAIR-den das HAUS re-no-VEE-ren · “We will renovate the house.”
Time first: werden stays second, subject follows
Morgentomorrowwirstwillduyouesitverstehen.understand
MOR-gen VIRST doo es fer-SHTAY-en · “Tomorrow you’ll understand it.”
Question: werden first; separable verbs stay joined at the end
Wirstwillduyoumichmeanrufen?call
VIRST doo mikh AN-roo-fen · “Will you call me?”
When to use the future tense

Four jobs for werden

If the time is clear and it is simply a plan, the present tense is more natural. Reach for werden in these four cases.

PredictionsWhat you expect, forecasts.
Morgentomorrowwirdwillesitschneien.snow
MOR-gen VIRT es SHNAI-en · “It will snow tomorrow.”
PromisesA firm commitment.
IchIwerdewilldichyounieneververgessen.forget
ikh VAIR-de dikh NEE fer-GE-sen · “I will never forget you.”
IntentionsA decision, especially far ahead.
IchIwerdewillÄrztindoctorwerden.become
ikh VAIR-de AIRTS-tin VAIR-den · “I’m going to be a doctor.”
GuessesAbout now, with wohl.
Sieshewirdwillwohlprobablykrankillsein.be
zee VIRT VOHL KRANK zain · “She must be ill.”
Werden in subordinate clauses

…, dass er kommen wird

After dass, weil, ob and other words that send the verb to the end, werden moves to the very end, after the infinitive.

IchIglaube,believedassthaterhekommencomewird.will
ikh GLAU-be, das air KO-men VIRT · “I think he’ll come.”Dass sends wird to the very end, after kommen.
Weißt du,know youobwhethersiesheanrufencallwird?will
VAIST doo, op zee AN-roo-fen VIRT · “Do you know if she’ll call?”Ob: the same pattern.
Weilbecauseesitregnenrainwird,willbleibenstaywirwezu Hause.at home
vail es RAYG-nen VIRT, BLAI-ben veer tsu HAU-ze · “Because it’s going to rain, we’ll stay at home.”After a weil clause, the main verb comes straight after the comma.
The Futur II

Bis Freitag werde ich es geschafft haben

The Futur II (future perfect) says something will be finished by a point in the future: werden + past participle + haben or sein. With wohl, it guesses about the past instead.

Bis Freitagby FridaywerdewillichIesitgeschafftmanagedhaben.have
bis FRAI-taak VAIR-de ikh es ge-SHAFT HAA-ben
“I will have done it by Friday.”Finished by a future point: werden + participle + haben.
In einem Jahrin a yearwerdenwillwirweumgezogenmovedsein.be
in AI-nem YAAR VAIR-den veer UM-ge-tsoh-gen zain
“In a year we will have moved.”Verbs of movement take sein, as in the perfect tense.
Erhewirdwillden Zugthe trainverpasstmissedhaben.have
air VIRT dain TSOOK fer-PAST HAA-ben
“He must have missed the train.”A guess about the past: often with wohl.
Time words for the future

Morgen, nächste Woche, bald

With a time word, German normally uses the present tense for the future. The time word often comes first, so the verb comes second.

New Year’s resolutions

Ich werde mehr Sport machen

Promises and resolutions are where werden sounds natural even with a time word: it adds determination.

Sport
IchIwerdewillmehr Sportmore sportmachen.do
ikh VAIR-de mair SHPORT MA-khen · “I’m going to do more sport.”werde + infinitive at the end.
Stopping
IchIwerdewillnicht mehrno longerrauchen.smoke
ikh VAIR-de nikht MAIR RAU-khen · “I’m going to stop smoking.”nicht mehr = no longer.
Promise
IchIwerdewilldichyounie vergessen.never forget
ikh VAIR-de dikh NEE fer-GE-sen · “I’ll never forget you.”werde makes it a firm promise.
Wish
Dieses Jahrthis yearwerdewillichIDeutsch lernen.German learn
DEE-zes YAAR VAIR-de ikh DOITSH LER-nen · “This year I’m going to learn German.”Time word first: werde second, ich third.
Keep going

Related guides

ich fahre morgenPresent tense →The everyday way to talk about plans.ich will fahrenModal verbs →The same verb bracket.ist umgezogenPerfect tense →Haben or sein for Futur II.dass er kommen wirdSubordinate clauses →Why wird goes last.