Toekomstige tijd

taken from Nederlands in Uitvoering

Yesterday, Mandy told me: "I have no idea how to write [in the past tense], or the future tense, so I mostly just stick with the present for now".

The past tense in Dutch needs some more explanation, but the future tense is failry easy:

Just like in English, we use hulpwerkwoorden in Dutch. We have two types: "gaan" and "zullen".

The hulpwerkwoord "gaan" is for the near future. It is comparable to the English '(to be) going to...' .
- I am going to shop
- ik ga winkelen"

To talk about the not-so-near-future (meaning later this day, or in a gazillion years), use the hulpwerkwoord "zullen". Everywhere you would use the English verb "will", you can use "zullen".
- Next year I will break the world record!
- Volgend jaar zal ik het wereldrecord breken!".

Here is the conjugation of these hulpwerkwoorden:

	gaan	zullen
ik	ga	zal
jij	gaat	zal
hij/zij/het	gaat	zal
wij	gaan	zullen
jullie	gaan	zullen
zij	gaan	zullen

Exercise:
Can you try to translate the following sentences:

When my son is going to drink tea, he will ask for sugar.

When will you mow the grass?

My brother will paint the shed in the yard.

What are you going to do?

She will be the next president!