Verbs: Future Tense — Russian Grammar

Russian has two ways of talking about the future, and which one you use depends on the aspect of the verb. Imperfective verbs build a compound future with the verb (byt'bytʹ); perfective verbs already have a one-word future.

The Imperfective Future: бу́ду (búdu) + Infinitive

The future of (byt'bytʹ) is followed by the imperfective infinitive. Only (búdu) changes; the infinitive stays as it is.

(ya búdu chitát'ja búdu čitátʹ) - I will read, I will be reading
(ty búdesh' chitát'ty búdešʹ čitátʹ)
(on búdet chitát'on búdet čitátʹ)
(my búdem chitát'my búdem čitátʹ)
(vy búdete chitát'vy búdete čitátʹ)
(oní búdut chitát'oní búdut čitátʹ)

This future presents the action as a process or an activity, without promising a finished result.

За́втра я бу́ду мыть во́лосы.
Závtra ya búdu myt' vólosy.Závtra ja búdu mytʹ vólosy.
Tomorrow I'll be washing my hair.
Е́сли я бу́ду зараба́тывать бо́льше де́нег, я куплю́ кварти́ру.
Yésli ya búdu zarabátyvat' ból'she déneg, ya kuplyú kvartíru.Jésli ja búdu zarabátyvatʹ bólʹše déneg, ja kupljú kvartíru.
If I earn more money, I'll buy an apartment.

The Perfective Future

A perfective verb is conjugated exactly like a present tense, but the meaning is future: one completed action still to come.

(ya kuplyúja kupljú) - I will buy
(ty kúpish'ty kúpišʹ)
(on kúpit)
(my kúpim)
(vy kúpite)
(oní kúpyatoní kúpjat)

Я дам тебе́ аспири́н.
Ya dam tebé aspirín.Ja dam tebé aspirín.
I'll give you an aspirin.
Он почи́нит мой телеви́зор во вто́рник.
On pochínit moy televízor vo vtórnik.On počínit moj televízor vo vtórnik.
He will fix my TV on Tuesday.
Ско́ро всё раску́пят.
Skóro vsyo raskúpyat.Skóro vsjo raskúpjat.
Soon everything will be sold out.

The Future of быть (byt')

The verb (byt'bytʹ) itself has only the one-word future (búdu), (búdesh'búdešʹ), (búdet). It is used for future states, and in impersonal sentences (búdet) stands alone.

Я бу́ду на больни́чном неде́лю.
Ya búdu na bol'níchnom nedélyu.Ja búdu na bolʹníčnom nedélju.
I'll be on sick leave for a week.
Бу́дет хо́лодно.
Búdet khólodno.Búdet xólodno.
It will be cold.
Э́то не бу́дет сли́шком до́рого.
Éto ne búdet slíshkom dórogo.Éto ne búdet slíškom dórogo.
That won't be too expensive.

Future After е́сли (yésli) and когда́ (kogdá)

English uses the present tense after if and when even when the meaning is future. Russian uses the future.

Я отпра́влю тебе́ откры́тку, когда́ прилечу́.
Ya otprávlyu tebé otkrýtku, kogdá prilechú.Ja otprávlju tebé otkrýtku, kogdá prilečú.
I'll send you a postcard when I arrive.
Е́сли ты не поторо́пишься, ты опозда́ешь.
Yésli ty ne potorópish'sya, ty opozdáyesh'.Jésli ty ne potorópišʹsja, ty opozdáješʹ.
If you don't hurry, you'll be late.

Choosing Between the Two

Use the perfective future for a single action with a result: buying something, arriving, finishing. Use the (búdu) future for an ongoing activity, a repeated one, or one whose completion is not the point.

Я возьму́ суп.
Ya voz'mú sup.Ja vozʹmú sup.
I'll have the soup.
Ты бу́дешь есть то́лько вре́дную еду́?
Ty búdesh' yest' tól'ko vrédnuyu yedú?Ty búdešʹ jestʹ tólʹko vrédnuju jedú?
Are you going to eat only junk food?

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Russian course

43 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 9. A few of them, with the words “Verbs: Future Tense” is about in bold:

Ты вернёшься завтра?
Ty vernyósh'sya závtra?Ty vernjóšʹsja závtra?
Will you be back tomorrow?
Lesson 258
Мне нужно ездить на велосипеде, пока я не куплю новую машину.
Mne núzhno yézdit' na velosipéde, poká ya ne kuplyú nóvuyu mashínu.Mne núžno jézditʹ na velosipéde, poká ja ne kupljú nóvuju mašínu.
I have to ride my bike until I get a new car.
Lesson 301
Я хочу купить этот цветок. Он будет отлично смотреться в моей комнате.
Ya khochú kupít' étot tsvetók. On búdet otlíchno smotrét'sya v moyéy kómnate.Ja xočú kupítʹ étot cvetók. On búdet otlíčno smotrétʹsja v mojéj kómnate.
I want to buy this plant. It will look great in my room.
Lesson 384

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