DELE B1 Future Tense: Practice Test & Review
The Spanish future tense is one of the most tested grammar points on the DELE B1 exam. It appears in reading passages about plans, in listening sections about predictions, and in cloze exercises that contrast the future with ir a + infinitive. If you can’t choose between hablaré and voy a hablar, you’ll lose easy points.
This page gives you a five-part practice quiz: an evaluation set to see where you stand, three practice sets to drill the forms and uses, and a challenge set to confirm mastery. If you get stuck, scroll down for the full explanation.
Ready? Start with the evaluation set below.
Grammar Guide
The Rule
The Spanish future tense expresses actions that will happen. Regular verbs add endings to the infinitive: -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án. Twelve common verbs use irregular stems but the same endings.
Spanish has two ways to talk about the future: the future tense (hablaré) and ir a + infinitive (voy a hablar). The future tense is more formal and used for distant or unscheduled events. Ir a + infinitive is more common in speech and used for near, planned actions.
Regular Forms
| Subject | Hablar | Comer | Vivir |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | hablaré | comeré | viviré |
| Tú | hablarás | comerás | vivirás |
| Él / Ella / Usted | hablará | comerá | vivirá |
| Nosotros | hablaremos | comeremos | viviremos |
| Vosotros | hablaréis | comeréis | viviréis |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | hablarán | comerán | vivirán |
All three conjugations share the same endings. Only the infinitive changes.
Irregular Stems
Twelve common verbs drop the infinitive ending and add a new stem. The endings are the same as regular verbs.
| Verb | Stem | Yo form | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| tener | tendr- | tendré | I will have |
| poner | pondr- | pondré | I will put |
| salir | saldr- | saldré | I will leave |
| venir | vendr- | vendré | I will come |
| poder | podr- | podré | I will be able |
| querer | querr- | querré | I will want |
| saber | sabr- | sabré | I will know |
| decir | dir- | diré | I will say |
| hacer | har- | haré | I will do |
| haber | habr- | habré | I will have (auxiliary) |
| caber | cabr- | cabré | I will fit |
| valer | valdr- | valdré | I will be worth |
Decir and hacer are the two exceptions to the -dr- pattern. Decir uses dir- and hacer uses har-.
Future Tense vs. Ir a + Infinitive
| Use | Form | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near, planned action | ir a + infinitive | Voy a estudiar esta noche. | I’m going to study tonight. |
| Prediction based on evidence | ir a + infinitive | Va a llover. | It’s going to rain. |
| Distant, unscheduled event | Future tense | En 2050, la tecnología será diferente. | In 2050, technology will be different. |
| Formal promise or commitment | Future tense | Te ayudaré. | I will help you. |
| Conjecture about the present | Future tense | Serán las tres. | It must be three o’clock. |
Common Mistakes
- Using present tense for a distant future event.
✗ En 2050, la tecnología es diferente.
✓ En 2050, la tecnología será diferente.
A distant year requires the future tense, not the present. - Using the future tense for a near, planned action.
✗ Iré a llamarte mañana. (over-formal)
✓ Te llamo mañana. / Voy a llamarte mañana.
For near plans, ir a + infinitive or the present is more natural than the future tense. - Forgetting the accent on the future endings.
✗ Hablare con él mañana.
✓ Hablaré con él mañana.
All future endings except -emos carry an accent. - Using the wrong irregular stem.
✗ Haceré la tarea mañana.
✓ Haré la tarea mañana.
Hacer uses har-, not hacer-.
Quick Decision Chart
| Ask yourself | Answer | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Is the action near and planned? | Yes | ir a + infinitive |
| Is it a prediction based on evidence? | Yes | ir a + infinitive |
| Is it distant or unscheduled? | Yes | Future tense |
| Is it a formal promise? | Yes | Future tense |
| Is it a conjecture about the present? | Yes | Future tense |
| Does the verb have an irregular stem? | Yes | Use the irregular stem + regular endings |
Two Sentences That Show the Difference
Voy a estudiar esta noche.
I’m going to study tonight.
- Voy a estudiar = near, planned action (ir a + infinitive)
En 2050, estudiaré desde casa.
In 2050, I will study from home.
- Estudiaré = distant, unscheduled event (future tense)
Te llamo mañana.
I’ll call you tomorrow.
- Llamo = present used for a near future plan (most natural in speech)
Te llamaré mañana sin falta.
I will call you tomorrow without fail.
- Llamaré = future tense for a firm commitment
