Planning for the future is a common topic in conversations, whether you’re making personal plans, discussing professional goals, or just chatting with friends. When learning Portuguese, being able to talk about future plans can greatly enhance your communication skills and help you connect more deeply with native speakers. In this article, we will delve into the nuances of talking about future plans in Portuguese, exploring different ways to express intentions, expectations, and predictions.
The Simple Future Tense: Futuro do Presente
One of the most straightforward ways to discuss future plans in Portuguese is by using the simple future tense, known as futuro do presente. This tense is used to describe actions that will happen at a later time. The future tense in Portuguese is relatively easy to form. You simply take the infinitive form of the verb and add the future tense endings.
Here are the endings for regular verbs:
– -ei (I will)
– -ás (You will, informal singular)
– -á (He/She/You will, formal singular)
– -emos (We will)
– -eis (You will, informal plural)
– -ão (They/You all will, formal plural)
Let’s look at some examples with regular verbs:
1. Falar (to speak):
– Eu falarei (I will speak)
– Tu falarás (You will speak)
– Ele/Ela/Você falará (He/She/You will speak)
– Nós falaremos (We will speak)
– Vós falareis (You all will speak)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês falarão (They/You all will speak)
2. Comer (to eat):
– Eu comerei (I will eat)
– Tu comerás (You will eat)
– Ele/Ela/Você comerá (He/She/You will eat)
– Nós comeremos (We will eat)
– Vós comereis (You all will eat)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês comerão (They/You all will eat)
3. Partir (to leave):
– Eu partirei (I will leave)
– Tu partirás (You will leave)
– Ele/Ela/Você partirá (He/She/You will leave)
– Nós partiremos (We will leave)
– Vós partireis (You all will leave)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês partirão (They/You all will leave)
The Immediate Future: Ir + Infinitive
Another common way to talk about future plans in Portuguese is by using the construction ir + infinitive, similar to the English “going to” form. This structure is often used to express immediate future intentions or plans that are more certain.
Here’s how it works:
1. Conjugate the verb ir (to go) in the present tense:
– Eu vou (I go/I am going)
– Tu vais (You go/You are going)
– Ele/Ela/Você vai (He/She/You go/He/She/You are going)
– Nós vamos (We go/We are going)
– Vós ides (You all go/You all are going)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês vão (They/You all go/They/You all are going)
2. Add the infinitive form of the main verb immediately after.
Examples:
– Eu vou viajar amanhã. (I am going to travel tomorrow.)
– Nós vamos estudar para o exame. (We are going to study for the exam.)
– Eles vão comprar uma casa nova. (They are going to buy a new house.)
This structure is particularly useful because it is simple and widely understood, making it perfect for beginners.
Expressing Intentions with “Querer” and “Pretender”
When you want to express your intentions or what you plan to do, you can use the verbs “querer” (to want) and “pretender” (to intend). These verbs help to communicate desires and intentions more explicitly.
1. Querer (to want):
– Eu quero (I want)
– Tu queres (You want)
– Ele/Ela/Você quer (He/She/You want)
– Nós queremos (We want)
– Vós quereis (You all want)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês querem (They/You all want)
Examples:
– Eu quero aprender português. (I want to learn Portuguese.)
– Ela quer visitar o Brasil. (She wants to visit Brazil.)
– Nós queremos mudar de emprego. (We want to change jobs.)
2. Pretender (to intend):
– Eu pretendo (I intend)
– Tu pretendes (You intend)
– Ele/Ela/Você pretende (He/She/You intend)
– Nós pretendemos (We intend)
– Vós pretendeis (You all intend)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês pretendem (They/You all intend)
Examples:
– Eu pretendo estudar no exterior. (I intend to study abroad.)
– Eles pretendem começar um negócio. (They intend to start a business.)
Using “Esperar” and “Achar” for Expectations and Predictions
To talk about what you expect or predict will happen, you can use the verbs “esperar” (to hope/expect) and “achar” (to think/believe).
1. Esperar (to hope/expect):
– Eu espero (I hope/expect)
– Tu esperas (You hope/expect)
– Ele/Ela/Você espera (He/She/You hope/expect)
– Nós esperamos (We hope/expect)
– Vós esperais (You all hope/expect)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês esperam (They/You all hope/expect)
Examples:
– Eu espero que você venha à festa. (I hope you come to the party.)
– Nós esperamos terminar o projeto em breve. (We expect to finish the project soon.)
– Eles esperam que tudo corra bem. (They hope everything goes well.)
2. Achar (to think/believe):
– Eu acho (I think/believe)
– Tu achas (You think/believe)
– Ele/Ela/Você acha (He/She/You think/believe)
– Nós achamos (We think/believe)
– Vós achais (You all think/believe)
– Eles/Elas/Vocês acham (They/You all think/believe)
Examples:
– Eu acho que vai chover amanhã. (I think it will rain tomorrow.)
– Ela acha que o filme será bom. (She believes the movie will be good.)
– Nós achamos que eles vão ganhar o jogo. (We think they will win the game.)
Talking about Future Plans in Different Contexts
Let’s explore how to discuss future plans in various contexts, using the structures and verbs we’ve covered.
Personal Plans
Discussing personal plans often involves talking about leisure activities, vacations, or personal goals. Here are some examples:
– Eu vou viajar para Portugal nas férias. (I am going to travel to Portugal during the holidays.)
– Nós queremos aprender a cozinhar pratos brasileiros. (We want to learn how to cook Brazilian dishes.)
– Ela vai começar a academia na próxima semana. (She is going to start the gym next week.)
Professional Goals
When talking about professional aspirations or career plans, you might use more formal language. Here are some ways to express these ideas:
– Eu pretendo fazer um curso de pós-graduação. (I intend to take a postgraduate course.)
– Nós vamos expandir a empresa no próximo ano. (We are going to expand the company next year.)
– Eles esperam ser promovidos em breve. (They expect to be promoted soon.)
Social Plans
Discussing social plans includes making arrangements with friends or family. Here are some examples:
– Eu vou encontrar meus amigos no fim de semana. (I am going to meet my friends on the weekend.)
– Nós achamos que a festa será divertida. (We think the party will be fun.)
– Eles querem fazer um piquenique no parque. (They want to have a picnic in the park.)
Common Expressions for Future Plans
In addition to verbs and tense structures, there are several common expressions that can help you sound more natural when discussing future plans in Portuguese:
1. Daqui a pouco (in a little while):
– Vamos sair daqui a pouco. (We will leave in a little while.)
2. Logo mais (later):
– Logo mais, vamos assistir a um filme. (Later, we will watch a movie.)
3. Em breve (soon):
– Em breve, eles vão lançar um novo produto. (Soon, they will launch a new product.)
4. Semana que vem (next week):
– Semana que vem, vou ao médico. (Next week, I am going to the doctor.)
5. Daqui a um mês (in a month):
– Daqui a um mês, vamos nos mudar para outra cidade. (In a month, we will move to another city.)
Practice Makes Perfect
The key to mastering future plans in Portuguese, as with any aspect of language learning, is practice. Here are some practical tips to help you improve:
1. **Engage in Conversations**: Try to incorporate future plans into your daily conversations. Whether you’re practicing with a language partner or speaking to yourself, use the structures and vocabulary you’ve learned.
2. **Write About Your Plans**: Keeping a journal in Portuguese where you write about your future plans can help reinforce your learning. Describe what you intend to do, where you hope to go, and what you expect will happen.
3. **Listen and Observe**: Pay attention to how native speakers discuss their future plans. Listen to Portuguese podcasts, watch Brazilian or Portuguese TV shows, and observe the language they use.
4. **Use Flashcards**: Create flashcards with different verbs and future tense conjugations to help you memorize them. Include example sentences to see how they are used in context.
5. **Role-Playing**: Engage in role-playing exercises where you plan events, trips, or activities. This can be a fun way to practice and internalize future tense structures.
By consistently practicing and immersing yourself in the language, you’ll become more comfortable and confident in discussing future plans in Portuguese. Remember, every effort you make brings you closer to fluency. Boa sorte (Good luck)!
