Imagine telling a friend what you’ll do next week, or making a promise for tomorrow. In Portuguese, you’ll use a few handy future forms: the classic "futuro do presente" (simple future), the super-common "ir + infinitivo" (periphrastic future), and the essential "futuro do subjuntivo" for when/if clauses. Today we’ll make all three clear, practical, and usable.

The big picture: three futures you’ll actually use

• Futuro do presente: infinitive + endings (ei, ás, á, emos, eis, ão). Often a bit more formal or written.
• Ir + infinitivo: "vou/ vai/ vamos/ vão + verb". Very common in speech, sounds more immediate.
• Futuro do subjuntivo: used after words like "quando", "se", "assim que" to talk about future conditions.

We’ll learn each, practice with examples, and compare how they feel in real-life Portuguese.

Futuro do presente (simple future)

Formation is friendly: take the infinitive and add these endings.

• eu: -ei
• você/ele/ela: -á
• nós: -emos
• vocês/eles/elas: -ão

This works for most verbs, regular and irregular, because the ending attaches to the whole infinitive.

No próximo ano nós para Portugal.

Eles o relatório amanhã.

When to choose simple future

• Promises, predictions, formal plans: "Publicaremos os resultados amanhã." / "Será um ótimo evento."
• Written announcements and headlines often prefer the simple future.

In conversation, Brazilians often prefer the next form.

Ir + infinitivo (the go-to spoken future)

This one is easy and super natural.

• eu vou + infinitivo: Vou trabalhar de casa.
• você/ele/ela vai + infinitivo: Ele vai chegar tarde.
• nós vamos + infinitivo: Vamos visitar o museu.
• vocês/eles/elas vão + infinitivo: Eles vão anunciar amanhã.

It often feels more immediate or planned.

Nuance tip: simple future vs. ir + infinitivo

• Both can express future. In speech, "vou/ vai/ vamos/ vão + infinitivo" sounds more natural.
• Simple future can feel more formal, planned, or used in official statements.

Example: "Eu vou ligar mais tarde" (very common) vs. "Ligarei mais tarde" (formal, written, or emphatic).

Futuro do subjuntivo: after when/if

Use it after words like "quando", "se", "assim que" to talk about a future condition.

• Quando eu chegar, te ligo.
• Se eles fizerem o relatório, o chefe ficará feliz.
• Assim que terminarmos, vamos almoçar.

Think: a future point that triggers another action.

Se você , me liga.

Quando nós , vamos almoçar.

Quando eu vou chegar, te ligo. → Quando eu chegar, te ligo. Use o futuro do subjuntivo depois de "quando".

Cultural & regional notes

• In Brazil, ir + infinitivo is extremely common in speech; the simple future appears more in writing or formal speech.
• In Portugal, the simple future ("ligarei") is also used, and you may see mesóclise in very formal registers ("ligar-te-ei"). In Brazil, object pronouns usually go before the verb in speech: "eu vou te ligar".
• Time markers are key: combine them naturally with future forms: "amanhã", "logo mais", "em breve", "daqui a (tempo)", "semana que vem".

Quick practice wrap-up

Try switching between forms depending on context:

• Formal announcement: "O evento começará às 19h."
• Friendly plan: "Vamos começar às sete, beleza?"
• Conditional future: "Se chover, ficaremos em casa."
• When-clause: "Assim que eu souber, te aviso."

Notice how time markers anchor your future: "amanhã", "semana que vem", "em breve", "daqui a 10 minutos".

Keep going!

• Listen to news headlines for the simple future ("será", "haverá").
• Pay attention in daily chats: you’ll hear "vou" and "vamos" constantly.
• Watch for "quando"/"se" triggers: use the futuro do subjuntivo there.

You’ve got this. Next time you make plans or promises in Portuguese, choose the future that fits the moment—and say it with confidence!