
The future tense is used to express actions that will occur in the future. Forming and/or using future tense are quite simple: use present tense (see below) or use proper future tense, employing the auxiliary werden.
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Werden is slightly irregular:
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When the situation is clear, present tense may be used:
In a main clause the dependent infinitive is at the end; in a dependent clause, the conjugated form of werden is at the end. (This is similar to modal verbs).
A phrase in future tense, including a modal:
As above, with main and dependent clause:
ATTENTION
In example 4, the conjugated (=finite) verb werde is
NOT at the end--it directly precedes the "double
infinitive". This construction does not occur very much. Why?
In such cases, present tense would be used to express future
(as in example 3).
NOTE ALSO:
==> English "will" is German "werden" (future tense).
==> German "will" is English "want to"
(modal verb, singular).
They never mean the same thing!
SPECIAL USAGE
Future tense in combination with certain adverbs is used to express determination, assumption, or probability. These forms are not used overly much, however, you should be familiar with them. Note the use of adverbs such as sicher (for sure...), bestimmt (for sure, definitely...), gewiß (certainly...), wohl (probably, likely...), and schon (already...) or vielleicht (perhaps, maybe...).
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