When speaking about something you are going to do in the future?

Question

When you want to say that you are going to do something in the FUTURE, or you will do something in the future. Do you use ir+a? Or the future tense. If my concept of the future tense is off, please give a brief explanation. Thanks a lot!!

Answer 1

To express the "simple future", you can conjugate "ir" + a + infinitive. This is more along the lines of "going to" in English:

Voy a comer más tarde. I'm going to eat later.

Vas a comprar un carro nuevo pronto. You are going to buy a new car soon.

Vamos a ir a bailar está noche. We are going to go dancing tonight.

Etc...

From my understanding, if something is going to be done further out in the future, then you can use the future tense. This is "will" in English:

Compraré un carro nuevo el año que viene. I will buy a new car next year.

Answer 2

The future tense in Spanish is more like might than will.

Really? That's the first I've ever heard that. Everything I've ever read teaches what "will" happen, or what "shall" happen. "Might" shows uncertainty.

http://www.studyspanish.com/verbs/lessons/future.htm

Read more. You'll find that Spanish children learn the probabalistic meaning first and that common usage doesn't mean will the way it does in English. You will also find that the future tense csan be used to refer to the past, present, and future. - lorenzo9, Aug 20, 2011

It's really nothing like the future tense in English. - lorenzo9, Aug 20, 2011

I clicked on qfreed's link above and I see what you are saying now. So, Usage A is exactly like the future tense in English. Usage B is nothing like the future tense in English. - Tosh, Aug 20, 2011

future tense is uncertainty, lorenzo9 is right - jeezzle, Aug 20, 2011

Even when referring to the future, it never has the defintieness of intent that will does in English: it is more like might. - lorenzo9, Aug 20, 2011

In the link that qfreed provided, how does "Tomorrow we will leave for Madrid" show uncertainty? I'm not arguing... I'm just trying to understand. :) - Tosh, Aug 20, 2011

I don't know how that shows uncertainty, but in that sentence I would have used the present tense if I were sure. - lorenzo9, Aug 20, 2011

Answer 3

Even more important than whether to use the near future periphrasis or the future tense is whether to use the subjunctive (usually present tense) or indicative mood. That usually hinges on the probability of the action actually occurring.

The future tense is used a lot for stating conjectures as well as likely declarations. The near future periphrasis (more often, present tense is used) is normally used for stating probable action. What you intend to due or will do in a certain situation.

uses of future tense

Answer 4

From my understanding, if something is going to be done further out in the future, then you can use the future tense. This is "will" in English:

Compraré un carro nuevo el año que viene. I will buy a new car next year.

The future tense in Spanish is more like might than will.

Answer 5

And in the very near future with complete certainty, we can use present tense to indicate future. In the case of buying a new car: "Mañana me compro un coche nuevo."