If you’re learning Spanish, understanding how to talk about the future is essential. Spanish has two main ways to express future actions: the Simple Future (Futuro Simple) and the Near Future (Futuro Próximo). While both refer to events that haven’t happened yet, they are used in different contexts.

In this guide, we’ll break down the differences between these two tenses, provide conjugation charts, and give plenty of example sentences with English translations. By the end, you’ll know exactly when to use each one!

---

1. What Is the Simple Future (Futuro Simple) in Spanish?

The Simple Future tense is used for actions that will happen in the future, without specifying exact timing. It can also express probability or uncertainty in the present.

Conjugation Chart for Simple Future (Regular Verbs)

Pronoun	-AR Verbs (Hablar)	-ER Verbs (Comer)	-IR Verbs (Vivir)
Yo	hablaré	comeré	viviré
Tú	hablarás	comerás	vivirás
Él/Ella/Ud.	hablará	comerá	vivirá
Nosotros	hablaremos	comeremos	viviremos
Vosotros	hablaréis	comeréis	viviréis
Ellos/Uds.	hablarán	comerán	vivirán

Example Sentences (Simple Future)

• Viajaré a España el próximo año.
  (I will travel to Spain next year.)
• ¿Comerás sushi esta noche?
  (Will you eat sushi tonight?)
• Ellos estudiarán para el examen.
  (They will study for the test.)
• Probablemente lloverá mañana.
  (It will probably rain tomorrow.)

---

2. What Is the Near Future (Futuro Próximo) in Spanish?

The Near Future (also called Ir + a + Infinitive) is used for actions that are going to happen soon or are planned. It’s similar to the English “going to + verb.”

Structure:

Ir (conjugated) + a + Infinitive Verb

Conjugation of “Ir” (To Go) for Near Future

Pronoun	Conjugation of “Ir”	Example (Hablar)
Yo	voy	Voy a hablar
Tú	vas	Vas a comer
Él/Ella/Ud.	va	Va a vivir
Nosotros	vamos	Vamos a viajar
Vosotros	vais	Vais a estudiar
Ellos/Uds.	van	Van a bailar

Example Sentences (Near Future)

• Voy a llamar a mi madre más tarde.
  (I am going to call my mom later.)
• ¿Vas a comprar un coche nuevo?
  (Are you going to buy a new car?)
• Ella va a aprender español.
  (She is going to learn Spanish.)
• Vamos a celebrar su cumpleaños.
  (We are going to celebrate his birthday.)

---

3. Key Differences Between Simple Future and Near Future

Feature	Simple Future	Near Future
Usage	General future, predictions, promises	Planned/immediate future
Structure	Verb + future ending (é, ás, á, emos, án)	Ir + a + infinitive
Certainty	Can be uncertain (“probably”)	More definite (“going to”)
Time Frame	Distant or unspecified future	Near future (soon)

When to Use Each Tense

• Use Simple Future for:
  • Distant future events (Viajaré algún día – “I will travel someday”)
  • Predictions (Será difícil – “It will be difficult”)
  • Promises (Te ayudaré – “I will help you”)
• Use Near Future for:
  • Immediate plans (Voy a salir ahora – “I’m going to leave now”)
  • Scheduled actions (Van a llegar a las 5 – “They are going to arrive at 5”)

---

4. Practice: Which Tense Should You Use?

Test your knowledge with these sentences—should they be Simple Future or Near Future?

1. She will visit her grandparents next summer.
   (Ella ___ a sus abuelos el próximo verano.)
   • Answer: Visitará (Simple Future)
2. We are going to watch a movie tonight.
   (Nosotros ___ una película esta noche.)
   • Answer: Vamos a ver (Near Future)

---

Common Mistakes to Avoid with Simple Future & Near Future in Spanish

Even after learning the rules, many Spanish learners make mistakes when using the Simple Future (Futuro Simple) and Near Future (Ir + a + Infinitive). Here are the most common errors—and how to avoid them!

---

1. Confusing “Ir” Conjugation in the Near Future

A frequent mistake is using the wrong form of “ir” before the infinitive.

❌ Incorrect: “Yo va a estudiar.” (Wrong “ir” conjugation)
✅ Correct: “Yo voy a estudiar.”

Remember:

• Yo voy (I am going)
• Tú vas (You are going)
• Él/Ella va (He/She is going)

---

2. Using Near Future for Distant Future Events

The Near Future implies something is happening soon. Don’t use it for vague or far-off plans.

❌ Incorrect: “Voy a viajar a Japón en 10 años.” (Too far in the future)
✅ Correct: “Viajaré a Japón en 10 años.” (Simple Future)

Tip:

• Near Future → “I’m going to eat tonight.” (soon)
• Simple Future → “I will travel someday.” (distant)

---

3. Forgetting Accents in Simple Future

The Simple Future tense has accent marks on the endings. Missing them can change the meaning!

❌ Incorrect: “Comeran” (No accent)
✅ Correct: “Comerán” (They will eat)

Key accents:

• -é (yo)
• -ás (tú)
• -á (él/ella/usted)
• -án (ellos/ustedes)

---

4. Mixing Up “Will” and “Going To” in Translation

English speakers sometimes directly translate “will” and “going to” without considering Spanish rules.

❌ Incorrect: “Será llover mañana.” (Literal “will” translation)
✅ Correct: “Va a llover mañana.” (Near Future for predictions)

Exception:

• Predictions can use Simple Future (“Lloverá mañana”), but Near Future is more common for immediate certainty.

---

5. Using Simple Future for Immediate Plans

The Simple Future sounds unnatural for actions happening very soon.

❌ Incorrect: “Cenaré en 10 minutos.” (Too immediate)
✅ Correct: “Voy a cenar en 10 minutos.” (Near Future)

When to use Simple Future instead?

• Promises (“Te llamaré” – “I will call you”)
• Hypotheticals (“Si estudio, aprobaré” – “If I study, I will pass”)

---

6. Overusing Simple Future for Probability

While the Simple Future can express guesses (“¿Quién será?” – “Who could it be?”), learners sometimes overuse it.

❌ Incorrect: “Serán las 3 PM.” (If you’re looking at a clock, use present tense!)
✅ Correct: “Son las 3 PM.” (Present for known facts)

Use Simple Future for uncertainty:

• “¿Qué hora será?” (What time could it be?)

---

7. Ignoring Irregular Verbs in Simple Future

Some verbs (decir, hacer, poder, querer, saber, etc.) have irregular stems in the Simple Future.

❌ Incorrect: “Haceré la tarea.”
✅ Correct: “Haré la tarea.”

Common Irregular Stems:

Infinitive	Stem	Example
Decir	Dir-	Diré (I will say)
Hacer	Har-	Haré (I will do)
Poder	Podr-	Podré (I will be able to)

---

Quick Summary: How to Avoid Mistakes

✅ Near Future = Soon, planned actions (Voy a…)
✅ Simple Future = Distant future, predictions, promises (-é, -ás, -á)
✅ Check accents in Simple Future conjugations.
✅ Don’t mix “will” and “going to” directly from English.
✅ Use present tense for facts, not future for certainty.

---

Practice: Correct the Mistakes

Fix these errors (answers below):

1. ❌ “Ellos va a bailar.”
2. ❌ “Compraré pan ahora mismo.”
3. ❌ “Saberé la respuesta seguro.”

Answers:

1. ✅ “Ellos van a bailar.” (Correct “ir” conjugation)
2. ✅ “Voy a comprar pan ahora mismo.” (Near Future for immediate action)
3. ✅ “Sé la respuesta seguro.” (Present tense for certainty)

Conclusion

Mastering the Simple Future and Near Future in Spanish will help you speak more naturally about upcoming events. Remember:

• Simple Future = “will” (general future)
• Near Future = “going to” (planned actions)

Keep practicing with the examples above, and soon, talking about the future in Spanish will feel effortless!