Irregular future verbs in Spanish stem from common verbs by altering the root before adding the regular future endings (-é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án). Irregularities always appear in the stem, but the endings remain the same as in regular future conjugations.
Here are the nine most common irregular verbs in the future tense, along with their irregular stems, meanings, and example sentences.
Key Irregular Stems and Examples
| Verb | Irregular Stem | Meaning | Example (Yo) | Example Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| decir | dir- | to say/tell | diré | I will say |
| hacer | har- | to do/make | haré | I will do/make |
| poder | podr- | can/to be able to | podré | I will be able to |
| poner | pondr- | to put/place | pondré | I will put |
| salir | saldr- | to leave/go out | saldré | I will leave |
| tener | tendr- | to have | tendré | I will have |
| venir | vendr- | to come | vendré | I will come |
| querrer | querr- | to want/love | querré | I will want |
| saber | sabr- | to know | sabré | I will know |
Which part of the verb changes in Spanish irregular future verbs?
The stem changes, but the endings remain the same.
In irregular future verbs, only the stem changes—often by shortening or adding letters—while the endings (-é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án) remain standard for all subjects.
Explanation of Patterns
- The irregularity is always in the stem (middle part of the verb) before the ending is added.
- Endings are the standard future endings:
| Pronoun | -é | -ás | -á | -emos | -éis | -án |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | diré | dirás | dirá | diremos | diréis | dirán |
- Use these verbs to express what will happen or what you intend to do in the future.
Example Conjugations
| Verb | Yo | Tú | Él/Ella/Usted | Nosotros | Vosotros | Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decir | diré | dirás | dirá | diremos | diréis | dirán |
| hacer | haré | harás | hará | haremos | haréis | harán |
| poder | podré | podrás | podrá | podremos | podréis | podrán |
Usage Tips
- Use the future tense to speak about things that will happen or that you intend to happen.
- Stem changes appear only once in the verb, before the endings are added.
- All forms use the same set of endings; only the stem changes.
- Don’t add extra letters—just use the irregular root and then the regular endings.
- The endings -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, and -án always remain intact.
Do the endings -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, and -án ever change in irregular future verbs?
No, these endings remain unchanged regardless of irregular stems.
Future tense endings stay the same for all verbs; the irregular verbs change only their stems before these endings.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
