Today we are going to take a look at the substitute future tense in Spanish, also known as periprastic future. This tense is used to express ideas about the future. We will also take a look at the “Conditional Peripheral”.
In Spanish, this is a fairly easy and memorable combination. Let’s take a look at what the combination is:
The verb IR in the present tense plus an infinitive verb.
I’m going to sing.
Go to the baby.
Go to dinner.
We are going to write.
They are going to run.
For example: Next weekend, the boys are going to the park.
(Next weekend the children are going to the park).
With the “future” we usually use the following expressions:
In 2 days: in (#) days
Next weekend: Next weekend
Next weekend: next weekend.
Next week: Next week.
Next year: Next year.
Next moons: Next Monday.
Tomorrow tomorrow.
The day after tomorrow: The day after tomorrow.
Tonight: Tonight.
The “periphrastic conditional” is not a formal tense, like the “peripheral future” (I am going to leave), it is a group of words that are used to form an idea.
The “Periphrastic Conditional is formed by the verb IR in the Preterite Imperfect + A + Infinitive Verb: this group of words is used to explain something you were going to do in the past but ended up not doing it. For example:” I was going to go to the party last night, but my head hurt. ” The reason why an action is not performed can be expressed in the past, present or future.
I was going to paint
You were going out
I was going to + eat
Worm We Go
They were going to buy
For example:
We were going to have dinner at that restaurant, but we couldn’t make reservations and there was no more space.
(We were going to have dinner but couldn’t make reservations and there was no more space.)
I was going to call you this morning, but the phone doesn’t work.
(I was going to call you this morning, but the phone doesn’t work.)
Peter was going to Vegas at the end of the week, but he can’t because he will have to work.
(Peter was going to go to Vegas next weekend, but he can’t because he will have to work.)
For more practice with the Substitute Future Tense in Spanish (Periphrastic Future) and the Periphrastic Conditional, I recommend Level 1 of Learning Spanish Like Crazy. Use this course in conjunction with FSI (Foreign Service Institute) Level 1 Spanish.