German often uses the Präsens with a time word to talk about the future. The two Futur tenses add a layer of emphasis, strong intention, or — in Futur II — the idea that something will have been completed by a future point.
Formed with werden (Präsens) in position 2, plus the Infinitiv at the end. Use it to emphasise a firm intention or to make a prediction.
| Structure | werden (P2) + Infinitiv (END) | |
| lernen (ich/du/er) | werde · wirst · wird lernen | will learn |
| lernen (wir/ihr/sie) | werden · werdet · werden lernen | |
| Intention | Ich werde morgen kommen. | I will come tomorrow. |
| Prediction | Das wird nicht einfach sein. | That won't be easy. |
A prediction or assumption that something will have been completed by a future point. Formed with werden + Partizip II + haben/sein at the very end.
| Structure | werden (P2) + Partizip II + haben/sein (END) | |
| lernen (ich/du/er) | werde · wirst · wird gelernt haben | will have learned |
| lernen (wir/ihr/sie) | werden · werdet · werden gelernt haben | |
| with sein | Er wird angekommen sein. | He will have arrived. |
| Assumption | Er wird das vergessen haben. | He will have forgotten that. |
When a time marker makes the future clear, Präsens is almost always preferred over Futur I.
| With time word | Ich komme morgen. | I'm coming tomorrow. |
| Confirmed plan | Wir fahren nächste Woche. | We're going next week. |
| Question about plans | Was machst du am Wochenende? | What are you doing this weekend? |