Introduction
Typical expressions that express future time include: коли́-не́будь (someday, one day), за́втра (tomorrow), незаба́ром (soon, shortly), ско́ро (soon), післяза́втра (the day after tomorrow), насту́пного ти́жня (мі́сяця, ро́ку) (next week (month, year)), насту́пної о́сени (зими́, весни́) (next autumn (winter, spring)), насту́пного лі́та (next summer), че́рез ти́ждень (мі́сяць, рік) (in a week (month, year)).
Like with the past tense, the Ukrainian future tense has imperfective and perfective aspects. This tab will cover the function and formation of the imperfective future tense. The second tab covers the function and formation of the perfective future tense.
Imperfective Future Function
The imperfective future tense presents a future action as an open-ended process, without regard to its completion or result, or as such an action that will repeatedly occur over a period of future time.У готелі Ярина буде жити один тиждень. In the hotel, Yaryna will be staying for one week.
Наступного року Ігор буде вивчати англійську мову. Next year, Ihor will be studying the English language.
It is also used to express two parallel future actions in process:
Наступного року Ігор буде подорожувати, а ми будемо працювати. Next year Ihor will be traveling, and we will be working.
Adverbial modifiers used with the imperfective future indicate:
1.) a future moment or a future period.
ско́ро (soon), незаба́ром (soon, shortly), за́втра (tomorrow), післяза́втра (the day after tomorrow), насту́пного ти́жня (мі́сяця, ро́ку) (next week (month, year));
2.) a repetitive occurrence in the future.
ча́сто (often), за́вжди (always), звича́йно (usually), як пра́вило (as a rule), or non-occurrence as with ніко́ли;
3.) a delimited time period, про́тягом + G. for (duration), про́тягом годи́ни (дня, но́чі, мі́сяця) (for an hour (day, night, month)); від + G. ... до + G. ... (from... to...), від понеді́лка до субо́ти (from Monday to Saturday), від третьої години до п'ятої (from five o'clock to six).
A period of time within which a future action takes place can be indicated by a noun in the accusative, without a preposition:
Я буду працювати одну годину. I'll work for an hour.
Other such expressions are: тиждень (a week), мі́сяць (a month), три дні (three days), п'ять місяців (five months), доба́ (24 hours), etc. all used in the accusative case without a preposition.
Analytic Imperfective Formation
There are 2 forms of the imperfective future in Ukrainian:1.) the analytic / two-word future;
2.) the synthetic / one-word future.
The analytic imperfective future consists of the verb бу́ти (to be) in the future + imperfective infinitive of the notional verb. The verb бу́ти is conjugated in the imperfective by number and person, while the imperfective infinitive of the notional verb remains unchanged.
Here is the verb бу́ти conjugated in the future:
| Singular | English | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| я бу́ду | I'll be | ми бу́демо | we'll be |
| ти бу́деш | you'll be | ви бу́дете | you'll be |
| вона бу́де | shе'll be | вони бу́дуть | they'll be |
Here is the conjugation of the verb жи́ти (to live) in the analytic imperfective future:
| я бу́ду жи́ти | I'll live | ми бу́демо жи́ти | we'll live |
|---|---|---|---|
| ти бу́деш жи́ти | you'll live | ви бу́дете жи́ти | you'll live |
| вона бу́де жи́ти | shе'll live | вони бу́дуть жи́ти | they'll live |
Synthetic Imperfective Formation
There is no difference in meaning between the two-word (analytic) and one-word (synthetic) imperfective forms; the difference is purely in form. The synthetic future is a word, made of an imperfective infinitive + a personal ending that denotes futurity. There are six such endings:
| Singular Pronoun | Ending | Plural Pronoun | Ending |
|---|---|---|---|
| я | ~му | ми | ~мемо |
| ти | ~меш | ви | ~мете |
| вона, він, воно | ~ме | вони | ~муть |
* The stress in the synthetic imperfective future is on the same syllable as in the infinitive. Make sure to use the full infinitive when forming the synthetic future:
| я жи́тиму | I'll live | ми жи́тимемо | we'll live |
|---|---|---|---|
| ти жи́тимеш | you'll live | ви жи́тимете | you'll live |
| вона жи́тиме | shе'll live | вони жи́тимуть | they'll live |
For reflexive verbs, the synthetic is formed by inserting the endings between the suffix ~ти and the particle ~ся. Note that the ending of the 3rd pers. sg. is ~меться. Here is an example with the verb диви́тися (to watch):
| я диви́тимуся | I'll watch | ми диви́тимемося | we'll watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| ти диви́тимешся | you'll watch | ви диви́тиметеся | you'll watch |
| вона диви́тиметься | shе'll watch | вони диви́тимуться | they'll watch |
Synthetic vs Analytic
So when should which form be used? The one-word (synthetic) imperfective future tends to be used with verbs that are comparatively shorter:- мати (to have): Коли він матиме вільний час? When will he have some free time?
- їсти (to eat): Що ми їстимемо на вечерю? What shall we eat for dinner?
- купувати (to buy): Я купуватиму продукти у цій крамниці. I will be buying groceries in this store
The two-word (analytic) imperfective future tends to be used with longer words, 5+ syllables, to avoid inordinately long formations:
- відпочивати (to rest, vacation): Де ви будете відпочивати влітку? Where will you be vacationing in the summer?
- зупинятися (to stop, stay): Тепер я буду завжди зупинятися в цьому готелі. Now I'll always be staying at this hotel.
In practice, both forms are used interchangeably, so it's not a mistake to use longer verbs with the synthetic form.
Perfective Future Function
The perfective future presents a future action as finished and emphasizes its result. Завтра я побачу Миколу. Tomorrow I shall see Mykola.
Often perfective future denotes completed action, which is followed by another action:
Я подзвоню до Миколи і запрошу його на вечерю. I'll call Mykola and invite him for dinner.
Common indicators of the perfective future time are:
вже́ (already), за́втра (tomorrow), післяза́втра (day after tomorrow), ско́ро, незаба́ром (soon), наре́шті (finally), насту́пного ти́жня (мі́сяця, ро́ку) (next week (month, year)), че́рез + A. of time period (in, within), че́рез годи́ну (in one hour), че́рез ти́ждень (in one week);
за + A. of time period (in, within), за день (in one day), за рік (in one year).
Perfective Future Formation
Perfective future uses the same set of personal endings as the present tense, which are added to the perfective stem. The verb in the perfective future follows 1st or 2nd present tense conjugation.
пи́ти / ви́пити to drink (1st conj.)
пи́ти present tense: п'ю, п'єш, п'є, п'ємо́, п'єте́, п'ють
| я ви́п'ю | I'll drink | ми ви́п'ємо | we'll drink |
|---|---|---|---|
| ти ви́п'єш | you'll drink | ви ви́п'єте | you'll drink |
| вона ви́п'є | shе'll drink | вони ви́п'ють | they'll drink |
роби́ти / зроби́ти to do (2nd conj.)
роби́ти present tense: роблю́, ро́биш, ро́бить, ро́бимо, ро́бите, ро́блять
| я зроблю́ | I'll do | ми зро́бимо | we'll do |
|---|---|---|---|
| ти зро́биш | you'll do | ви зро́бите | you'll do |
| вона зро́бить | shе'll do | вони зро́блять | they'll do |
Most other verbs follow the same conjugation patterns in the perfective future. There are some verbs where the perfective form differs considerably from the imperfective, in which case it's best to consult wiktionary, etc. to find the stem. Otherwise, the same personal endings of the present tense are used to find the future perfective. An example:
бра́ти / взя́ти (ві́зьм|уть) to take (1st conj.)
бра́ти present tense: беру́, бере́ш, бере́, беремо́, берете́, беру́ть
| я візьму́ | I'll take | ми ві́зьмемо | we'll take |
|---|---|---|---|
| ти ві́зьмеш | you'll take | ви ві́зьмете | you'll take |
| вона ві́зьме | shе'll take | вони ві́зьмуть | they'll take |
Note, as an exception, the formation of the perfective future forms of да́ти (to give):
| я дам | ми дамо |
| ти даси | ви дасте |
| вона дасть | вони дадуть |