{"id":107187,"date":"2023-08-29T16:13:53","date_gmt":"2023-08-29T20:13:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/japanese-future-tense\/"},"modified":"2025-06-16T13:28:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T17:28:17","slug":"japanese-future-tense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/japanese\/japanese-future-tense\/","title":{"rendered":"Using the Japanese Future Tense: How It Works and Ways to Express It"},"content":{"rendered":"

Maybe you’ve heard that there’s no Japanese future tense at all. But even though there is no future tense like there is in English, there are plenty of different ways you can express the future in Japanese.<\/p>\n

The Japanese future is implied through context, with time words or specific grammar constructions. Let’s go over the details for discussing events that will happen in the future.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Forming the Japanese Future with Context<\/h2>\n

Forming a future tense sentence via context means creating a sentence that implies that its action is set in the future.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let’s take a look at some examples, first using formal and then informal speech.:<\/p>\n

\u3053\u306e\u30b7\u30e3\u30c4\u306f\u7dba\u9e97\u306a\u306e\u3067\u3001\u8cb7\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3053\u306e \u3057\u3083\u3064\u306f \u304d\u308c\u3044 \u306a\u306e\u3067\u3001\u304b\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002)
\nThis shirt is pretty so I’ll buy it.<\/p>\n

You’re either buying something right now<\/a>\u00a0or you’ll buy it in the future (or you bought it already, but the past is irrelevant here since it has a clear form).<\/p>\n

And so, through context, we can deduce that this sentence is using the future tense!<\/p>\n

\u5341\u5206\u306a\u304a\u91d1\u304c\u3042\u308c\u3070\u3001\u30d5\u30e9\u30f3\u30b9\u3078\u65c5\u884c\u3057\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3058\u3085\u3046\u3076\u3093\u306a \u304a\u304b\u306d\u304c \u3042\u308c\u3070\u3001\u3075\u3089\u3093\u3059\u3078 \u308a\u3087\u3053\u3046\u3057\u307e\u3059\u3002)
\nIf I have enough money, I’ll travel to France<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Once again, this sentence implies your future intentions.<\/p>\n

\u5f7c\u5973\u306b\u544a\u767d\u3057\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u304b\u306e\u3058\u3087\u306b \u3053\u304f\u306f\u304f \u3057\u307e\u3059\u3002)
\nI’ll confess my love<\/a> to her.<\/p>\n

You can’t say this sentence could be translated in the present tense this time. Would you seriously be talking to a different person while you confess your love to a girl?<\/p>\n

\u50d5\u306f\u4ff3\u512a\u306b\u306a\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u307c\u304f\u306f \u306f\u3044\u3086\u3046\u306b \u306a\u308a\u307e\u3059\u3002)
\nI’ll become an actor.<\/p>\n

You can’t become something instantly. This one’s definitely in the future tense!<\/p>\n

Let’s move on to the informal talk. This time, we’ll be using the same examples as we used in the formal part, just so we don’t create confusion.<\/p>\n

\u3053\u306e\u30b7\u30e3\u30c4\u306f\u7dba\u9e97\u306a\u306e\u3067\u3001\u8cb7\u3046\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3053\u306e \u3057\u3083\u3064\u306f \u304d\u308c\u3044 \u306a\u306e\u3067\u3001\u304b\u3046\u3002)
\nThis shirt is pretty so I’ll buy it.<\/p>\n

\u5341\u5206\u306a\u304a\u91d1\u304c\u3042\u308c\u3070\u3001\u30d5\u30e9\u30f3\u30b9\u3078\u65c5\u884c\u3059\u308b\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3058\u3085\u3046\u3076\u3093\u306a \u304a\u304b\u306d\u304c \u3042\u308c\u3070\u3001\u3075\u3089\u3093\u3059\u3078 \u308a\u3087\u3053\u3046\u3059\u308b\u3002)
\nIf I have enough money, I’ll travel to France.<\/p>\n

\u5f7c\u5973\u306b\u544a\u767d\u3059\u308b\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u304b\u306e\u3058\u3087\u306b \u3053\u304f\u306f\u304f \u3059\u308b\u3002)
\nI’ll confess my love to her.<\/p>\n

\u50d5\u306f\u4ff3\u512a\u306b\u306a\u308b\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u307c\u304f\u306f \u306f\u3044\u3086\u3046\u306b \u306a\u308b\u3002)
\nI’ll become an actor.<\/p>\n

This method works only if you have enough context to decide if a sentence is in the present or future tense. Take this sentence, for instance:<\/p>\n

\u5927\u5b66\u3078\u884c\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3060\u3044\u304c\u304f\u3078 \u3044\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002)
\nI’ll go to college. \/ I go to college.<\/p>\n

This statement is vague since you might mean that you plan to go to college or you might just be stating that you currently attend college. Make sure to always include enough context so listeners know what you mean!<\/p>\n

Forming the Japanese Future with Time Words<\/h2>\n

The other method of forming the Japanese future tense is to simply add a time word or phrase.<\/strong> This is easy to see in an example:<\/p>\n

\u660e\u65e5\u306f\u3001\u30e9\u30fc\u30e1\u30f3\u3092\u98df\u3079\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3042\u3057\u305f\u306f\u3001\u3089\u30fc\u3081\u3093\u3092 \u305f\u3079\u307e\u3059\u3002)
\nI’ll eat ramen tomorrow.<\/p>\n

Just by adding the word “tomorrow,” you take what could’ve been a vague sentence and place it firmly in the future. Here’s another example:<\/p>\n

\u6765\u5e74\u3001\u5352\u696d\u3057\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3089\u3044\u306d\u3093\u3001\u305d\u3064\u304e\u3087\u3046 \u3057\u307e\u3059\u3002)
\nI’ll graduate next year.<\/p>\n

Next year is definitely in the future and this sentence is definitely future tense. No confusion here!<\/p>\n

You can also place\u00a0the action forward in time through context, instead of using a specific time:<\/p>\n

\u4ed5\u4e8b\u306e\u5f8c\u3067\u5c45\u9152\u5c4b\u3078\u884c\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3057\u3054\u3068\u306e \u3042\u3068\u3067 \u3044\u3056\u304b\u3084\u3078 \u3044\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002)
\nAfter work, I’ll go to an izakaya.<\/a><\/p>\n

Going to an izakaya is set in the future thanks to the context that it’ll happen “after work.”<\/p>\n

Here are the examples using informal speech:<\/p>\n

\u660e\u65e5\u306f\u3001\u30e9\u30fc\u30e1\u30f3\u3092\u98df\u3079\u308b\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3042\u3057\u305f\u306f\u3001\u3089\u30fc\u3081\u3093\u3092 \u305f\u3079\u308b\u3002)
\nI’ll eat ramen tomorrow.<\/p>\n

\u4ed5\u4e8b\u306e\u5f8c\u3067\u5c45\u9152\u5c4b\u3078\u884c\u304f\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3057\u3054\u3068\u306e \u3042\u3068\u3067 \u3044\u3056\u304b\u3084\u3078 \u3044\u304f\u3002)
\nAfter work, I’ll go to an izakaya.<\/p>\n

\u6765\u5e74\u3001\u5352\u696d\u3059\u308b\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3089\u3044\u306d\u3093\u3001\u305d\u3064\u304e\u3087\u3046\u3059\u308b\u3002)
\nI’ll graduate next year.<\/p>\n

Forming the Japanese Future with \u306b<\/h2>\n

If relying on context isn’t specific enough for you, there are also\u00a0some simple grammatical constructions you can use. The first one’s made by placing \u306b between two verbs. The other one’s formed with \u3064\u3082\u308a at the end of a sentence.<\/p>\n

Let’s start with the first one. This construction indicates a future intention. It’s made by taking a verb in its -masu<\/em> form, adding \u306b after it and then adding a verb again after that particle.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here are some examples:<\/p>\n

\u6bcd\u3092\u624b\u4f1d\u3044\u306b\u884c\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u306f\u306f\u3092 \u3066\u3064\u3060\u3044\u306b \u3044\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002)
\nI’ll go and help mom.<\/p>\n

The speaker has an intention to help his mother, which is why he’ll go to her.<\/p>\n

\u53cb\u9054\u304c\u52c9\u5f37\u3057\u306b\u6765\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3068\u3082\u3060\u3061\u304c \u3079\u3093\u304d\u3087\u3046\u3057\u306b \u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002)
\nMy friend will come to study.<\/p>\n

Your friend’s intention is to study, and that’s why he’ll come.<\/p>\n

\u30ad\u30e3\u30d0\u30af\u30e9\u3078\u98f2\u307f\u306b\u884c\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u304d\u3083\u3070\u304f\u3089\u3078 \u306e\u307f\u306b \u3044\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002)
\nI’ll go to the cabaret to drink.<\/p>\n

As you can see, this form takes all the potential confusion out of stating future intentions.<\/p>\n

Here are the same examples in informal Japanese this time:<\/p>\n

\u6bcd\u3092\u624b\u4f1d\u3044\u306b\u884c\u304f\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u306f\u306f\u3092 \u3066\u3064\u3060\u3044\u306b \u3044\u304f\u3002)
\nI’ll go and help mom.<\/p>\n

\u53cb\u9054\u304c\u52c9\u5f37\u3057\u306b\u6765\u308b\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3068\u3082\u3060\u3061\u304c \u3079\u3093\u304d\u3087\u3046\u3057\u306b \u304f\u308b\u3002)
\nMy friend will come to study.<\/p>\n

\u30ad\u30e3\u30d0\u30af\u30e9\u3078\u98f2\u307f\u306b\u884c\u304f\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u304d\u3083\u3070\u304f\u3089\u3078 \u306e\u307f\u306b \u3044\u304f\u3002)
\nI’ll go to the cabaret to drink.<\/p>\n

Be careful when using this construction not to mix in the past tense. For example:<\/p>\n

* \u53cb\u9054\u304c\u52c9\u5f37\u3057\u306b\u6765\u305f\u3002
\n<\/strong>(\u3068\u3082\u3060\u3061\u304c \u3079\u3093\u304d\u3087\u3046\u3057\u306b \u304d\u305f\u3002)
\nMy friend came to study.<\/p>\n

Whoa there, that can’t be future tense. It’s in the past form so you blew it. Don’t put verbs in past tense if you want to talk about the future. Other than that, you should be good to go!<\/p>\n

Forming the Japanese Future with \u3064\u3082\u308a<\/h2>\n

The \u3064\u3082\u308a method has basically the same meaning\u2014depiction of intention\u2014but it’s constructed a bit differently.<\/p>\n

You construct it by putting \u3064\u3082\u308a at the end of a sentence.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a bonus, the formal and informal versions are practically the same, with the formal taking \u3067\u3059 at the end.<\/p>\n

\u6d77\u3078\u884c\u304f\u3064\u3082\u308a\u3067\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3046\u307f\u3078 \u3044\u304f \u3064\u3082\u308a \u3067\u3059\u3002)
\nI plan to go to the sea.<\/p>\n

There’s really nothing more to it, so here are some more examples:<\/p>\n

\u6751\u4e0a\u9f8d\u306e\u672c\u3092\u8aad\u3080\u3064\u3082\u308a\u3067\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u3080\u3089\u304b\u307f \u308a\u3085\u3046\u306e \u307b\u3093\u3092 \u3088\u3080 \u3064\u3082\u308a \u3067\u3059\u3002)
\nI intend to read Ryuu Murakami’s book.<\/p>\n

Just remember not to use the formal conjugation of a verb, like in this incorrect example:<\/p>\n

* \u672c\u3092\u8cb7\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3064\u3082\u308a\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u307b\u3093\u3092 \u304b\u3044\u307e\u3059 \u3064\u3082\u308a\u3002)
\nI plan to buy a book.<\/p>\n

This is wrong! The correct sentence would say:<\/p>\n

\u672c\u3092\u8cb7\u3046\u3064\u3082\u308a\u3067\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u307b\u3093\u3092 \u304b\u3046 \u3064\u3082\u308a \u3067\u3059\u3002)
\nI plan to buy a book.<\/p>\n

We won’t write out the informal versions because they’re the same just without \u3067\u3059 at the end. Simple!<\/p>\n

How to Practice the Future Tense in Japanese<\/h2>\n

As you can, you can form the future tense in Japanese through a range of methods, including through context, by using time words or through special grammatical constructions. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Naturally, you can also use all the methods in one sentence. And while this post goes over how to do that, the best way to learn is by hearing it in use by native Japanese speakers. Try to reinforce what you read below with a program like FluentU<\/a>, which gives you access to videos and clips paired with learning tools.

FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n

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You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\n \"FluentU\r\n

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\u30ab\u30ec\u30fc\u3092\u4f5c\u308b\u3064\u3082\u308a\u3067\u3059\u3002<\/strong>
\n(\u304b\u308c\u30fc\u3092 \u3064\u304f\u308b \u3064\u3082\u308a \u3067\u3059\u3002)
\nI plan to prepare curry<\/a>.<\/p>\n