Future in Japanese
Japanese doesn't have a separate future tense. Future actions are expressed using:
- Present tense with time words
- Special expressions for intention/plans
- Context to indicate future meaning
明日行く
"I will go tomorrow" (present form + time word)
行くつもりだ
"I intend to go" (intention expression)
Using Present Tense for Future
With Time Words
The most common way to express future is present tense + future time word:
明日映画を見る
"I will watch a movie tomorrow"
来週東京に行きます
"I will go to Tokyo next week"
今晩友達に会う
"I will meet a friend tonight"
来年日本に来る
"I will come to Japan next year"
Scheduled Events
授業は9時に始まる
"Class will start at 9 o'clock"
電車は3時に出発します
"The train will depart at 3 o'clock"
会議は来週の月曜日です
"The meeting is next Monday"
つもり (Intention/Plan)
〜つもりだ/です
Expresses personal intention or plan:
Verb (dictionary form) + つもりだ/です
日本に行くつもりです
"I intend to go to Japan"
大学で勉強するつもりだ
"I plan to study at university"
明日早く起きるつもりです
"I intend to wake up early tomorrow"
Negative Intention
行かないつもりだ
"I don't intend to go"
食べないつもりです
"I don't plan to eat"
何もしないつもりだ
"I don't intend to do anything"
予定 (Schedule/Plan)
〜予定だ/です
For scheduled plans or arrangements:
明日東京に行く予定です
"I'm scheduled to go to Tokyo tomorrow"
来週会議がある予定だ
"There's scheduled to be a meeting next week"
6時に着く予定です
"I'm scheduled to arrive at 6 o'clock"
Asking About Plans
何をする予定ですか？
"What are you planning to do?"
いつ来る予定ですか？
"When are you scheduled to come?"
でしょう/だろう (Probably)
Expressing Probability
Indicates something will probably happen:
Polite: 〜でしょう
Plain: 〜だろう
明日は雨でしょう
"It will probably rain tomorrow"
彼は来るだろう
"He will probably come"
大丈夫でしょう
"It will probably be okay"
Question Form
明日は晴れるでしょうか？
"Will it probably be sunny tomorrow?"
間に合うでしょうか？
"Will we probably make it in time?"
Volitional Form (Let's/Will)
〜よう/〜ましょう
Expresses suggestion or determination:
行こう
"Let's go / I'll go"
食べましょう
"Let's eat"
頑張ろう
"Let's do our best / I'll do my best"
Thinking/Deciding to Do
行こうと思う
"I'm thinking of going"
勉強しようと思います
"I'm thinking of studying"
はず (Should/Expected to)
〜はずだ/です
Something is expected to happen based on logic:
彼は来るはずだ
"He should come / is expected to come"
間に合うはずです
"We should make it in time"
明日は晴れるはずだ
"It should be sunny tomorrow"
Common Time Words for Future
Tomorrow and Near Future
明日 - tomorrow
明後日 - day after tomorrow
今晩 - tonight
今夜 - tonight
後で - later
すぐ - soon
もうすぐ - soon
Next Week/Month/Year
来週 - next week
来月 - next month
来年 - next year
再来週 - week after next
再来月 - month after next
再来年 - year after next
Comparing Future Expressions
Present Tense (Neutral)
明日行く
"I will go tomorrow"
(Simple statement of future action)
つもり (Personal Intention)
明日行くつもりだ
"I intend to go tomorrow"
(Personal plan/intention)
予定 (Scheduled Plan)
明日行く予定だ
"I'm scheduled to go tomorrow"
(Arranged/scheduled)
でしょう (Probability)
明日行くでしょう
"I will probably go tomorrow"
(Likely to happen)
はず (Expected)
明日行くはずだ
"I should go tomorrow"
(Expected based on circumstances)
Common Conversations
Example 1: Weekend Plans
A: 週末は何をする予定ですか？
"What are you planning to do this weekend?"
B: 映画を見に行くつもりです
"I intend to go see a movie"
A: 何を見ますか？
"What will you watch?"
B: 新しいアクション映画を見ます
"I'll watch the new action movie"
Example 2: Tomorrow's Weather
A: 明日の天気はどうでしょうか？
"What will tomorrow's weather be like?"
B: たぶん雨でしょう
"It will probably rain"
A: じゃあ、傘を持って行きましょう
"Then let's bring umbrellas"
Example 3: Future Plans
A: 将来何をするつもりですか？
"What do you intend to do in the future?"
B: 日本で働くつもりです
"I intend to work in Japan"
A: いつ日本に行く予定ですか？
"When are you scheduled to go to Japan?"
B: 来年行く予定です
"I'm scheduled to go next year"
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Creating a future tense
Wrong: 行くwill ❌
Right: 行く (with context) ✓
"will go"
Wrong: 明日行きました ❌
Right: 明日行きます ✓
"I will go tomorrow"
Mistake 2: Using wrong form with つもり
Wrong: 行きますつもりです ❌
Right: 行くつもりです ✓
"I intend to go"
Mistake 3: Confusing つもり and 予定
つもり: Personal intention (can change)
予定: Scheduled plan (more fixed)
Not interchangeable in all contexts
Special Future Expressions
〜ことにする (Decide to)
日本に行くことにした
"I decided to go to Japan"
勉強することにします
"I'll decide to study"
〜ようと思う (Thinking of doing)
明日行こうと思う
"I'm thinking of going tomorrow"
勉強しようと思っています
"I'm thinking of studying"
〜たい (Want to)
Can express future desire:
日本に行きたい
"I want to go to Japan"
寿司を食べたいです
"I want to eat sushi"
Expressing Determination
きっと (Surely)
きっと成功する
"I will surely succeed"
きっと来るでしょう
"They will surely come"
必ず (Without fail)
必ず行きます
"I will definitely go"
必ず連絡する
"I will contact you without fail"
Immediate Future
すぐ (Right away/Soon)
すぐ行きます
"I'll go right away"
すぐ始まる
"It will start soon"
もうすぐ (Soon/Before long)
もうすぐ着く
"I'll arrive soon"
もうすぐ春だ
"It will be spring soon"
Uncertain Future
かもしれない (Might)
明日雨が降るかもしれない
"It might rain tomorrow"
行くかもしれません
"I might go"
たぶん (Probably)
たぶん来る
"I'll probably come"
たぶん大丈夫でしょう
"It will probably be okay"
Polite Future Requests
〜ていただけますか (Could you)
明日来ていただけますか？
"Could you come tomorrow?"
手伝っていただけますか？
"Could you help me?"
Practice Sentences
Simple Future (Present + Time)
明日学校に行く
"I will go to school tomorrow"
来週テストがあります
"There will be a test next week"
今晩映画を見る
"I will watch a movie tonight"
Intention (つもり)
大学で勉強するつもりです
"I intend to study at university"
来年日本に行くつもりだ
"I plan to go to Japan next year"
明日早く起きるつもりです
"I intend to wake up early tomorrow"
Schedule (予定)
3時に会う予定です
"I'm scheduled to meet at 3 o'clock"
来月引っ越す予定だ
"I'm scheduled to move next month"
来週東京に行く予定です
"I'm scheduled to go to Tokyo next week"
Probability (でしょう/だろう)
明日は晴れるでしょう
"It will probably be sunny tomorrow"
彼は来るだろう
"He will probably come"
大丈夫でしょう
"It will probably be okay"
Expectation (はず)
彼は知っているはずだ
"He should know"
間に合うはずです
"We should make it in time"
明日は晴れるはずだ
"It should be sunny tomorrow"
Volitional (〜よう)
頑張ろう
"Let's do our best / I'll do my best"
明日行こうと思う
"I'm thinking of going tomorrow"
勉強しようと思っています
"I'm thinking of studying"
Related Grammar Points
- Present Tense Usage - Base for future
- 〜つもり (tsumori) - Intention
- 〜予定 (yotei) - Plans
- 〜でしょう/だろう - Probability
- Volitional Form - Let's/will
- Time Words - Future time expressions
- 〜たい (tai) - Want to