Talking about the future in Portuguese is easier than most beginners think.
Unlike some languages, Portuguese gives you two main ways to express the future:
- The Simple Future (formal and written)
- Ir + infinitive (very common in speech)
If you master both, you can:
• Make plans
• Talk about goals
• Schedule appointments
• Express intentions
Let’s break it down clearly.
1️⃣ The Simple Future (Futuro do Presente)
The simple future is formed by adding endings directly to the infinitive verb.
Example: falar (to speak)
Eu falarei
Você falará
Ele/Ela falará
Nós falaremos
Eles falarão
This form is:
• Common in writing
• Used in formal speech
• Seen in news and literature
But in everyday conversation, especially in Brazil, another structure is more common.
2️⃣ The Most Common Spoken Future: “Ir + Infinitive”
In real conversation, Portuguese often uses:
Ir (to go) + infinitive verb
Example:
Eu vou falar.
(I’m going to speak.)
Você vai estudar.
(You are going to study.)
Nós vamos viajar.
(We are going to travel.)
This structure works like English “going to.”
It is:
• Extremely common in Brazilian Portuguese
• Very natural in daily conversation
• Easy for beginners
👉 Review present tense of “ir” here: Present Tense Portuguese Verbs
3️⃣ When to Use Each Future Form
Use “Ir + Infinitive” for:
• Plans
• Intentions
• Casual speech
• Everyday conversation
Example:
Eu vou trabalhar amanhã.
(I’m going to work tomorrow.)
Use Simple Future for:
• Formal writing
• Predictions
• Promises
• Hypothetical tone
Example:
Eu falarei com ele mais tarde.
(I will speak to him later.)
Both forms are correct.
The difference is mostly stylistic.
4️⃣ Future Tense Conjugation Patterns
The simple future endings are added to the full infinitive:
For -ar, -er, -ir verbs:
-ei
-á
-emos
-ão
Example: comer (to eat)
Eu comerei
Você comerá
Nós comeremos
Eles comerão
Example: abrir (to open)
Eu abrirei
Você abrirá
Nós abriremos
Eles abrirão
5️⃣ Irregular Verbs in the Simple Future
Some verbs change slightly in the stem.
Examples:
Fazer (to do)
Eu farei
Você fará
Nós faremos
Eles farão
Ter (to have)
Eu terei
Você terá
Nós teremos
Eles terão
Dizer (to say)
Eu direi
Você dirá
Nós diremos
Eles dirão
These must be memorized.
👉 See full verb system: Portuguese Verb Conjugation Guide
6️⃣ Brazilian vs European Usage
The grammar rules are identical in:
• Brazilian Portuguese
• European Portuguese
However:
Brazilian Portuguese strongly prefers ir + infinitive in speech.
European Portuguese also uses it, but the simple future appears more frequently in formal contexts.
Pronunciation differs, but structure is the same.
👉 Compare variants here: Brazilian vs European Portuguese
7️⃣ Future Tense in Questions
Just like other tenses, Portuguese does not use auxiliary verbs like “will” in questions.
English:
Will you travel?
Portuguese:
Você viajará?
or
Você vai viajar?
Same word order. Just intonation.
👉 Review structure here: Portuguese Sentence Structure
8️⃣ Future Tense vs Present Tense
Portuguese sometimes uses the present tense for near future.
Example:
Eu viajo amanhã.
(I travel tomorrow.)
This is very common.
Portuguese is flexible with time expressions.
9️⃣ Common Beginner Mistakes
• Avoiding the simple future entirely
• Overusing English-style “will” translation
• Forgetting irregular stems
• Confusing present and future endings
• Trying to learn every tense at once
Remember:
For beginners, “ir + infinitive” is enough for most conversations.
10️⃣ How to Practice the Future Tense
Best method:
- Write 5 sentences about tomorrow
- Use “ir + infinitive” first
- Try one sentence in simple future
- Say them aloud
- Use them in conversation
Example:
Amanhã eu vou estudar português.
Eu vou trabalhar à tarde.
Eu falarei com meu amigo.
Combine with:
👉 Portuguese Conversation Guide
👉 Portuguese Listening Practice Guide
Do You Need the Future Tense Early?
You don’t need it immediately.
Focus first on:
• Present tense
• Past tense (pretérito perfeito)
Then add the future.
If you’re following a structured roadmap:
👉 90-Day Portuguese Study Plan
Core Verbs to Practice in Future
Start with:
ir
fazer
ter
ser
poder
querer
estudar
viajar
trabalhar
These allow you to express most future plans.
👉 Expand vocabulary here: Most Common Portuguese Words
Final Thoughts
The Portuguese future tense is flexible and manageable.
Start with:
• Ir + infinitive (most natural in speech)
• Learn simple future gradually
• Memorize key irregular verbs
• Practice real-life sentences
Don’t wait for perfection.
Use it early.
Use it often.
If you’re building your grammar foundation, continue with:
👉 Present Tense Portuguese Verbs
👉 Past Tense Portuguese Guide
👉 Portuguese Grammar Basics
Future tense lets you plan.
Planning builds confidence.
Confidence builds fluency.