The Future Tense in German (Futur I)

Introduction to the Future Tense

German expresses future events in two distinct ways: using the present tense with a time expression (by far the most common in everyday speech), or using the Futur I construction — werden conjugated in the present tense plus an infinitive at the end of the clause. For example, Ich werde morgen arbeiten (I will work tomorrow). This intermediate lesson builds on your knowledge of present tense regular and irregular verbs (Basic Verb Conjugation, Present Tense Irregular Verbs), basic sentence structure and word order (Basic Sentence Structure and Word Order), modal verbs (Modal Verbs), and the perfect and simple past tenses (Perfect Tense, Präteritum). You will learn when Germans genuinely use werden rather than the present tense, how to conjugate werden correctly, how to build Futur I sentences across all clause types, and how to express probability and supposition — the most important non-future use of this construction. With 15 real-life examples, 12 varied exercises, pronunciation guidance, and cultural insights, you will use the future tense with precision and naturalness.

Why the Future Tense Matters

Expressing Intentions and Promises: Ich werde dir helfen (I will help you) carries a stronger sense of commitment than the simple present, making it the natural choice for promises and firm plans.
Expressing Probability and Supposition: Er wird krank sein (He is probably ill / He must be ill) is one of the most frequent uses of Futur I in real German — not about future time at all, but about present probability.
Formal and Written Register: In written German — announcements, formal letters, journalism — Futur I is more common than in everyday speech, making it essential for reading and writing at B1/B2 level.
Subordinate Clauses: Knowing where werden and the infinitive land in a subordinate clause is a key marker of grammatical accuracy at intermediate level.

Understanding the Future Tense

Construction: werden + Infinitive

Futur I is formed with the conjugated form of werden in second position and the infinitive of the main verb at the very end of the clause — exactly the same bracketing structure as modal verbs in the present tense.

Pronoun	werden	Example (schlafen)	English
ich	werde	Ich werde schlafen.	I will sleep.
du	wirst	Du wirst schlafen.	You will sleep.
er / sie / es	wird	Er wird schlafen.	He will sleep.
wir	werden	Wir werden schlafen.	We will sleep.
ihr	werdet	Ihr werdet schlafen.	You (pl.) will sleep.
sie / Sie	werden	Sie werden schlafen.	They / You (formal) will sleep.

Note: werden is an irregular verb — du wirst and er wird show a vowel change (e → i), exactly like other stem-change verbs. The infinitive always goes to the end of the clause.

When to Use Futur I vs. Present Tense for Future Events

This is the most important practical decision a learner must make. Native speakers use the present tense + time expression for the vast majority of future statements, especially in speech: Ich fahre morgen nach Berlin (I am going to Berlin tomorrow). Futur I (werden + infinitive) is preferred in these specific situations:

Use case	Futur I example	English
Promises and strong commitments	Ich werde dich nie vergessen.	I will never forget you.
Predictions about the future	Es wird morgen regnen.	It will rain tomorrow.
Expressing present probability / supposition	Er wird schon zu Hause sein.	He is probably at home by now.
Formal announcements and written German	Das Konzert wird um 20 Uhr beginnen.	The concert will begin at 8 p.m.
No time expression present	Das wird schwierig werden.	That will be difficult.

Futur I for Probability (Present Reference)

One of the most important — and most overlooked — functions of Futur I is expressing supposition or probability about the present moment, not the future. The adverb wohl (probably) often accompanies this use but is not required. The structure is identical: werden + infinitive.

Sentence	English	Note
Er wird krank sein.	He is probably ill. / He must be ill.	Supposition about a present state.
Sie wird wohl schlafen.	She is probably sleeping.	wohl reinforces the probability meaning.
Das wird stimmen.	That is probably right.	Speaker makes a present-tense inference.

Sentence Structure Across Clause Types

The bracketing principle — werden in position 2, infinitive at the end — holds across all clause types, but the position of werden itself shifts in subordinate clauses.

Clause type	Example	English
Main clause (statement)	Ich werde morgen früh aufstehen.	I will get up early tomorrow.
Main clause (question)	Wirst du mitkommen?	Will you come along?
Subordinate clause (weil)	Ich bleibe zu Hause, weil es regnen wird.	I am staying home because it will rain.
Subordinate clause (dass)	Ich glaube, dass er kommen wird.	I think that he will come.

In subordinate clauses introduced by conjunctions like weil, dass, wenn, obwohl, the conjugated verb (werden) moves to the very end, after the infinitive: … kommen wird.

Step-by-Step Guide

Decide which form is appropriate: Is there a clear time expression and is the event a simple plan? Use the present tense. Is it a promise, prediction, or probability statement? Use Futur I.
Conjugate werden: Match it to the subject. Remember du wirst / er wird as the irregular forms.
Place werden in position 2 in main clauses; at the end in subordinate clauses.
Place the infinitive at the end of the clause in all cases.
Add wohl for probability if you want to make the supposition meaning explicit.

Pronunciation Guide

werde: VAIR-de — w = "v" sound; unstressed final -e. Ich werde kommen (ISH VAIR-de KOM-en).
wirst: VEERST — long i; final -st cluster. Du wirst sehen (DOO VEERST ZAY-en).
wird: VEERT — long i; the d at the end is devoiced to a t sound. Er wird kommen (AIR VEERT KOM-en).
werdet: VAIR-det — two clear syllables. Ihr werdet lernen (EER VAIR-det LAIR-nen).
werden: VAIR-den — used for both wir and sie/Sie. Wir werden gewinnen (VEER VAIR-den ge-VIN-en).

Audio Tip: Click audio icons to hear full Futur I sentences with natural rhythm — pay attention to how werden is unstressed and the infinitive receives the main stress of the clause.

Cultural Insights

Planning culture: Germans are known for detailed forward planning. However, this actually means the present tense dominates future talk — fixed plans with dates use Ich fahre am Montag, not Ich werde fahren. Futur I signals something less fixed: a prediction, intention, or promise.
Promises and vows: Wedding vows, political pledges, and solemn commitments in German use Futur I: Ich werde immer für dich da sein (I will always be there for you). The construction carries emotional weight precisely because it is less common in everyday speech.
Weather forecasts: Weather reporting — a staple of German media — almost always uses Futur I for predictions: Morgen wird es in Bayern schneien (Tomorrow it will snow in Bavaria). This is a reliable, authentic context for encountering Futur I.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Ich werde morgen ins Kino gehen. used where Ich gehe morgen ins Kino. would be more natural.
- Fix: When there is a clear time expression and the event is a concrete plan, native speakers strongly prefer the present tense. Save Futur I for promises, predictions, and probability statements where the present tense would be ambiguous or too weak.
Mistake 2: Er wird kommt. (conjugated verb used instead of infinitive).
- Fix: The second verb in Futur I must always be the bare infinitive. Correct: Er wird kommen.
Mistake 3: Ich werde wohl krank. (infinitive omitted when sein is needed).
- Fix: Even when the meaning is "to be", sein must appear as an explicit infinitive. Correct: Ich werde wohl krank sein.
Mistake 4: Ich glaube, dass er wird kommen. (werden placed before the infinitive in a subordinate clause).
- Fix: In subordinate clauses, the infinitive precedes the conjugated werden. Correct: Ich glaube, dass er kommen wird.
Mistake 5: Du wird kommen. (wrong conjugation of werden for du).
- Fix: werden is irregular — du takes wirst, not wird. Correct: Du wirst kommen.
Nuance 1: Futur I with sein as the main verb — Er wird müde sein (He will be tired / He is probably tired) — is very common but easy to miss because learners often omit sein. Any adjective or noun predicate still requires the infinitive sein to be present.
Nuance 2: The probability use of Futur I (Das wird stimmen — That is probably right) refers to the present, not the future. The time reference is determined entirely by context and the infinitive used, not by the tense name. Adding wohl makes the probability reading unambiguous and is recommended for learners until the distinction becomes intuitive.

Practice Scenarios

Making a Promise: Ich werde dir morgen schreiben. — Versprochen? — Ja, ich verspreche es. (I will write to you tomorrow. — Promised? — Yes, I promise.)
Weather Prediction: Der Wetterbericht sagt, es wird am Wochenende regnen. — Dann bleiben wir zu Hause. (The forecast says it will rain at the weekend. — Then we will stay home.)
Expressing Probability: Wo ist Anna? — Sie wird wohl noch im Büro sein. (Where is Anna? — She is probably still in the office.)
Formal Announcement: Die Veranstaltung wird um 18 Uhr beginnen. Wir werden Sie rechtzeitig informieren. (The event will begin at 6 p.m. We will inform you in good time.)

Step-by-Step Practice Guide

Conjugate werden from memory: Write out all six forms without looking, focusing on the irregular du wirst / er wird.
Classify each future statement: For every future sentence you want to express, ask — is this a fixed plan (→ present tense) or a promise / prediction / probability statement (→ Futur I)?
Practise the probability use: Take five present-tense statements and rephrase each as a probability guess using wohl + werden + infinitive.
Drill subordinate clause order: Write five weil and dass clauses with Futur I and confirm the infinitive precedes wird/werden.
Use audio: Listen for natural stress — werden is typically unstressed; the infinitive carries the emphasis.
Complete exercises: Reinforce with the 12 exercises below.

Conclusion

The German future tense has two layers: the everyday present tense with time expressions for concrete plans, and Futur I (werden + infinitive) for promises, predictions, formal announcements, and — crucially — present probability statements. Mastering the conjugation of werden, the bracketing structure it shares with modal verbs, and its subordinate clause word order will significantly raise the accuracy of your spoken and written German. The next lesson on Comparative and Superlative adjectives will introduce another key layer of expressive precision, building on your existing knowledge of adjective endings.