In this comparative grammar lesson of Romance languages, we study the future perfect tense in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, & French. The future perfect tense, similar to its use in English, describes events that will happen and be completed in the future by a certain time or happen after another event is completed in the future.
Table of Contents
- Future Perfect Tense in Spanish
- Future Perfect Tense in Portuguese
- Future Perfect Tense in Italian
- Future Perfect Tense in French
- Examples
- Level IV – Intermediate
The future perfect is formed as follows:
| SP | “haber” in the simple future tense | + past participle |
| PT | “ter” or “haver” in the simple future tense | |
| IT | “avere” or “essere” in the simple future tense | |
| FR | “avoir” or “être” in the simple future tense |
The auxiliary verb in future tense serves a similar function to the auxiliary “will have” in English, e.g., “I will have done my homework by the time they come.”
Future Perfect Tense in Spanish
In Spanish, the verb “haber” in the future form is used:
| -ar ending e.g., hablar | -er ending e.g., comer | -ir ending e.g., vivir | ||
| yo | habré | hablado | comido | vivido |
| tú | habrás | |||
| él/ella/usted | habrá | |||
| nosotros/-as | habremos | |||
| vosotros/-as | habréis | |||
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | habrán |
Future Perfect Tense in Portuguese
In Portuguese, both “ter” and “haver” are grammatically correct and can be used interchangeably. However, the use of “haver” is usually limited to writing. In everyday language, the verb “ter” is often used.
The future perfect tense is structured as follows:
| -ar ending e.g., falar | -er ending e.g., comer | -ir ending e.g., partir | ||
| eu | terei/haverei | falado | comido | partido |
| ele/ela/você | terá/haverá | |||
| nós | teremos/haveremos | |||
| eles/elas/vocês | terão/haverão |
Future Perfect Tense in Italian
In Italian, the verb “avere” in the future form is conjugated as follows:
| -are ending e.g., parlare | -ere ending e.g., vendere | -ire ending e.g., dormire | ||
| io | avrò | parlato | venduto | dormito |
| tu | avrai | |||
| lui/lei | avrà | |||
| noi | avremo | |||
| voi | avrete | |||
| loro | avranno |
On the other hand, the verb “essere” in the future form is conjugated as follows:
| -are ending e.g., andare | -ere ending e.g., cadere | -ire ending e.g., partire | ||
| io | sarò | andato/-a | caduto/-a | partito/-a |
| tu | sarai | andato/-a | caduto/-a | partito/-a |
| lui | sarà | andato | caduto | partito |
| lei | sarà | andata | caduta | partita |
| noi | saremo | andati/-e | caduti/-e | partiti/-e |
| voi | sarete | andati/-e | caduti/-e | partiti/-e |
| loro | saranno | andati/-e | caduti/-e | partiti/-e |
Future Perfect Tense in French
In French, the verb “avoir” in the future form is conjugated as follows:
| -er ending e.g., parlare | -ir ending e.g., finir | -re ending e.g., vendre | ||
| j’ | aurai | parlé | fini | vendu |
| tu | auras | |||
| il/elle/on | aura | |||
| nous | aurons | |||
| vous | aurez | |||
| ils/elles | auront |
On the other hand, the verb “être” in the future form is conjugated as follows:
| -er ending e.g., aller | -ir ending e.g., partir | -re ending e.g., descendre | ||
| je | serai | allé(e) | parti(e) | descendu(e) |
| tu | seras | allé(e) | parti(e) | descendu(e) |
| il/on | sera | allé | parti | descendu |
| elle | sera | allée | partie | descendue |
| nous | serons | allé(e)s | parti(e)s | descendu(e)s |
| vous | serez | allé(e)s | parti(e)s | descendu(e)s |
| ils | seront | allés | partis | descendus |
| elles | seront | allées | parties | descendues |
Examples
Let us look at some examples of the future perfect tense:
| SP | Yo habré visitado Egipto en enero. | I will have visited Egypt in January. |
| PT | Terei visitado o Egito em janeiro. | |
| IT | Avrò visitato l’Egitto a gennaio. | |
| FR | J’aurai visité l’Egypte en janvier. | |
| SP | Tú habrás bebido el café. | You will have drunk the coffee. |
| PT | Você terá bebido o café. | |
| IT | Avrai bevuto il caffè. | |
| FR | Tu auras bu le café. | |
| SP | Ella habrá hablado con su madre. | She will have spoken to her mother. |
| PT | Ela terá falado com a mãe. | |
| IT | Avrà parlato con sua madre. | |
| FR | Elle aura parlé à sa mère. | |
| SP | Nosotros habremos comido. | We will have eaten. |
| PT | Nós teremos comido. | |
| IT | Noi avremo mangiato. | |
| FR | Nous aurons mangé. |
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