Today we are going to take a look at the Substitute Future Tense in Spanish, also known as the Periphrastic Future. This tense is used to express ideas about the future. We will also take a look at the “Periphrastic Conditional”.

In Spanish, this is actually quite an easy combination and easy to remember. Let’s take a look at what the combination is:

The verb IR in the present tense plus a verb in the infinitive.

I’m going to sing.

Go to the baby.

Go to dinner.

Go write.

Go to correct.

For example: Next weekend, the boys are going to the park.

(Next weekend the children are going to the park).

With the “future” we usually use the following expressions:

In 2 days: In (#) days

Next weekend: Next weekend

Next weekend: Next weekend.

Next week: Next week.

Next year: Next year.

The nearby moons: Next Monday.

Tomorrow tomorrow.

The day after tomorrow: The day after tomorrow.

Tonight: Tonight.

The “periphrastic conditional” is not a formal tense, like the “periphrastic future” (I am going out), it is a group of words used to form an idea.

The “Periphrastic Conditional” is formed by the verb IR in the Imperfect Past + A + Verb in the Infinitive: this group of words is used to explain something that you were going to do in the past but in the end you didn’t. For example: “I was going to go to the party last night, but I had a headache.” The reason why an action is not performed can be expressed in the past, present or future.

I was going to paint

you were going out

Iba + to + Eat

We were going to see

Iban Buy

For example:

We were going to have dinner at that restaurant, but we couldn’t make reservations and there was no more space.

(We were going to go for dinner but we couldn’t make reservations and there was no more room).

I was going to call you this morning, but the phone doesn’t work.

(I was going to call you this morning, but the phone doesn’t work).

Peter was going to go to Vegas at the end of the week, but he can’t because he has to work.

(Peter was going to go to Vegas next weekend, but he can’t because he has to work.)

For more practice with the Substitute Future Tense in Spanish (Periphrastic Future) and the Periphrastic Conditional, I recommend Learning Spanish Like Loco Level 1. Use that course in conjunction with Spanish FSI (Foreign Service Institute) Level 1.