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Portuguese grammar - future tenses

azulejos4.1 

FUTURE TENSES

The best future to learn is the "going to" form. Use the present simple of the verb "ir" (to go) and add your main verb after it.

  • It's going to rain = Vai chover. (Notice that the ""it" is omitted)
  • I'm going to make a sandwich = Vou fazer uma sande. (Notice that the "I" is omitted).
  • I'll get it (the phone) = Vou atender. (notice that the "I"is omitted).
  • Portugal will win the World Cup = Portugal vai ganhar o mundial.

The Portuguese very often use the present simple tense as well to denote the future, especially for the not too distant future. Compare the following sentence:

  • English version: I'll come back tomorrow.
  • Portuguese version: Volto amanhã. (translation: I come back tomorrow) Notice that the "I" is omitted (unnecessary) and that the verb is in the present tense.

However you can always use the "going to" form instead:

  •  English version: I'll come back tomorrow.
  • Portuguese version: Vou voltar amanhã. (translation: I'm going to come back tomorrow)

 

 There is also a formal future form which is used primarily in written Portuguese. It's worth knowing about because it comes up all the time when you're reading. In this future you add the endings -ei, -ás, -á, -emos and -ão to the base form (infinitive) of the verb.