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Future Tense of Russian Verbs

Russian grammar --> Future Tense

The future tense is generally used to express actions occuring after the time of speaking or writing. Both imperfective and perfective Russian verbs can form the future tense.

Uses of the Future Tense

The meaning of the future tense form depends on whether the verb is imperfective or perfective.

Imperfective verbs in the future tense

Future tense forms of imperfective verbs are generally used:

• To name an action that will take place in future, with no consideration on its completion.
  Мы будем делать это задание. - We will work with this exercise.
• To denote an action in progress that will take place at some moment in the future.
  В это время я буду смотреть телевизор. - I will be watching TV at that moment.
• To denote repeated actions in the future.
  Я буду отправлять ей письма каждый день. - I will send her letters every day.

Perfective verbs in the future tense

Future tense forms of perfective verbs are generally used:

• To name an action that will take place in the future with special emphasis on its completion, result or limit.
  Мы сделаем это задание. - We will complete this task.
• To denote momentary actions in the future.
  После этого я отправлю ей письмо. - After that, I will sent her a letter.

Verb Forms in the Future Tense

Imperfective Future

The imperfective future is formed with an auxiliary verb быть. The conjugated form of the auxiliary is followed by the imperfective infinitive. Look at the conjugation of the verb делать to do, to make in the future tense.

Perfective Future

The perfective future is formed by conjugating the perfective infinitive. The endings of the perfective future are the same as those of the imperfective present tense. Look at the conjugation of the perfective verb cделать to do, to make in the future tense.