Praten over de toekomst
Dutch has no dedicated future tense. Instead it uses three main strategies: present tense + time word, gaan + infinitief, and zullen + infinitief. Choosing the right one depends on how certain, planned, or formal the future event is.
The most natural way to express the near future in Dutch is to use the <strong>present tense with a future time word</strong>. This is the default choice for planned or scheduled events.
Practice: "___ bel ik je terug." — Fill in the time word meaning "shortly".
Straks — Straks bel ik je terug. — Straks is a time word meaning "shortly" or "in a moment", used with the present tense for near-future actions.
Practice: "Volgende week ___ de cursus." — Fill in the present-tense verb (to start).
begint — Volgende week begint de cursus. — With a future time word Dutch uses the present tense. De cursus is third-person singular → begint.
<strong>Gaan + infinitief</strong> expresses a personal plan or intention — something the subject has decided to do. It is the Dutch equivalent of English "going to". The infinitive goes to the end of the clause.
Practice: "Ik ___ morgen solliciteren." — Fill in the correct form of gaan.
ga — Ik ga morgen solliciteren. — Gaan conjugates: ik ga, jij gaat, hij gaat, wij gaan, jullie gaan, zij gaan.
Practice: "Ze ___ een nieuwe opleiding ___." — Fill in both gaps (gaan + infinitief).
gaat / volgen — Ze gaat een nieuwe opleiding volgen. — Ze (zij) → gaat. The infinitive volgen goes to the end of the clause.
<strong>Zullen + infinitief</strong> is used for promises and firm commitments, predictions and expectations, and polite offers or suggestions. It is more formal than <em>gaan</em>.
Practice: "Ik ___ je morgen terugbellen." — Fill in the correct form of zullen.
zal — Ik zal je morgen terugbellen. — Ik zal is the first-person singular of zullen, used here as a promise.
Practice: "___ ik de afspraak plannen?" — Fill in the verb to make a polite offer.
Zal — Zal ik de afspraak plannen? — A polite offer uses zullen with inversion: Zal ik…? is equivalent to "Shall I…?"
| Strategy | When to use | Example | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present + time word | Planned / scheduled near future | Morgen werk ik thuis. | Binnenkort krijg ik de resultaten. I will get the results soon. |
| gaan + infinitief | Personal plan or intention | Ik ga solliciteren. | Hij gaat ontslag nemen. He is going to resign. |
| zullen + infinitief | Promise, prediction, formal | Ik zal terugbellen. | We zullen de plannen bespreken. We will discuss the plans. |
Practice: Which strategy? — "Binnenkort krijg ik de resultaten."
present tense + time word — Binnenkort krijg ik de resultaten. — Binnenkort is a future time word and krijg is present tense → present tense + time word.
Practice: Which strategy? — "Ik zal de brief sturen."
zullen + infinitief — Ik zal de brief sturen. — Zal is the first-person singular of zullen and sturen is the infinitive → zullen + infinitief.
Practice Talking About the Future Quiz with time and work vocabulary
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