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How does the Spanish future tense differ from the English future tense ?

Could you review the various ways of expressing the future tense (hablaré, voy a hablar, he de hablar). Also, can you explain when I use habra + participio? Is this the same as the future perfect in English?

The so-called future tense (hablaré, cantaremos) is not the most common way to refer to the future. There are several ways to express the future tense in Spanish:

Mañana vamos al supermercado. Tomorrow we are going to the super market
Mañana vamos a ir al supermercado. Tomorrow we are going to go the the supermarket.
Mañana iremos al supermercado. Tomorrow we'll go to the supermarket.
Mañana hemos de ir al supermercado. Tomorrow we're to go to the supermarket.

Often, the present tense is used interchangeadly with the future tense.

The future tense may be used for very stern commands:

No hurtarás. Thou shall not steal. (In fact, all of the ten commandments are written in the future)
No irás al baile. You will not go to the dance.

For approximations, guesses, or assumptions. This is especially common in Spain:

Llegará a casa pronto. (S)he must be arriving home soon.
Lo habrá dejado en la cocina. (S)he must have left it in the kitchen.
Será las cuatro. It must be around four.

To answer your question regarding the future perfect, yes, it is used in more or less the same way as its English equivalent. See the below examples for other usages:

¿dónde lo habrá puesto? Where can (s)he have put it? (expressing exasperation or perplexity)
no lo habrán hecho. I guess they have not done it. (an assumption or guess)
¿no se lo habrá dicho a Miguel? You haven´t told Miguel, have you? (to make a question rhetorical)

 

 


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