UNIT EIGHTEEN
The future tense
Use of the future
1 The future tense is, of course, used to refer to events which will happen in
the future, as in the following examples:
2 The future is also used to express probability, or a guess:
3 The future can also correspond to the English present progressive (‘I’m
going to... ’ etc.):
4 In general, the future tense is used less in Italian than in English, and it is
often possible, when talking about something which we are almost sure will
happen, to use the present:
Venerdì andremo in piscina.
Non so quando partirò.
Verrà anche l’anno prossimo,
Signora?On Friday we’ll go to the swimming pool.
I don’t know when I’ll leave.
Will you come/be coming again next
year(, Madam?)Anna non risponde: sarà fuori.Saranno le 5.
La madre di Pietro avrà 30 anni.
Chi sarà?Anna’s not answering: she must/she’ll be
out.
It’s probably/It’ll be about 5 o’clock.
Pietro’s mother must be around 30.
Who can that be?Gli parlerò presto.
Porterò i miei CD.
Gli direte la verità?I’m going to talk/I’ll be talking to them soon.
I’m going to bring/I’ll be bringing my CDs.
Are you going to tell him the truth?