Guten Tag! In our last lesson, you successfully combined your knowledge of the Perfekt tense to write about the past, describing what you did yesterday. You've now mastered talking about past events and present situations. Today, we'll complete this timeline by looking forward. We're going to explore how to express your future plans and intentions in German. This will allow you to talk about what you're going to do tomorrow, next week, or even next year—a vital skill for planning your studies in Germany or Austria.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to talk about the future using two of the most common methods in German: the present tense combined with time markers, and the modal verb wollen to express your intentions.
Method 1: The Simple Future with the Present Tense
In English, you might say, "I'm flying to Berlin tomorrow" instead of "I will fly to Berlin tomorrow." German does the exact same thing, and it's actually the most common way to talk about future events in everyday conversation. You simply use a verb in the present tense and add a time word to signal that you're talking about the future.
This is great news because you already know how to conjugate verbs in the present tense! The only new ingredient is a time marker.
Bite 18: Talking About Future Plans in German - Simple Structures
This article from INNES Vienna provides an excellent overview of how to discuss future plans simply and effectively. It introduces the key concepts and vocabulary we'll be using.
First, read the section Two Easy Ways. Focus on "Option 1," which is our current topic. Next, review the table under Key Phrases. Pay close attention to the time expressions like morgen, nächste Woche, and bald. Look at the list of verbs in the section Useful Verbs. You'll recognize many of them. Finally, read the Pro Tip at the end. This is an important piece of advice that will give you confidence as you speak.
The core formula is: Time Marker + Conjugated Verb + ... or Subject + Conjugated Verb + ... + Time Marker.
Remember the verb-second (V2) rule. If you start the sentence with a time marker, the verb must come next.
- Morgen lerne ich Deutsch. (Tomorrow I'm learning German.)
- Ich lerne morgen Deutsch. (I'm learning German tomorrow.)
The video below reinforces this exact point.
German Tenses | The German Present Tense Explained | A1 Beginner
The "YourGermanTeacher" channel offers a great "Bonus tip" that perfectly illustrates how to use the present tense for future events.
Watch the section from the bonus tip. Notice how the speaker emphasizes that adding a time word like morgen (tomorrow) or nächstes Jahr (next year) makes the future context clear.
Method 2: Expressing Intentions with wollen
While using the present tense is great for scheduled plans, sometimes you want to express a desire, a strong intention, or something you want to do. For this, you use the modal verb wollen (to want to).
First, let's look at how wollen is conjugated. It's an irregular verb, and like other modal verbs, its singular forms have a vowel change. In English, 'want' barely changes, but in German, the changes are more significant.
As the chart shows, the vowel changes from 'o' in wollen to 'i' in the singular forms ich will, du willst, and er/sie/es will. This is a common pattern in modal verbs.
Here is the full conjugation and the sentence structure you need to know.
How to Use German Modal Verbs: A Comprehensive Guide
This guide from Olesen Tuition breaks down modal verbs clearly. We'll focus on wollen.
Find the conjugation table and locate the column for wollen. Review the forms: ich will, du willst, er/sie/es will, etc. Notice that the ich and er/sie/es forms are identical. Next, read the section How to Use Modal Verbs. This explains the crucial word order rule: the conjugated modal verb is in position 2, and the main verb (the action you want to do) goes to the end of the sentence in its infinitive form. Finally, read the specific section on Wollen to see clear examples of its use to express desire.
The sentence structure is: Subject + Conjugated wollen + ... + Main Verb (Infinitive).
Let's see some examples relevant to your goals:
- Ich will in Deutschland studieren. (I want to study in Germany.)
- Wir wollen am Wochenende einen Vlog ansehen. (We want to watch a vlog on the weekend.)
- Was willst du nächstes Jahr machen? (What do you want to do next year?)
This next video provides a fantastic, detailed walkthrough of how to use wollen in statements and questions.
Learn German | German Grammar | wollen | Modal verbs | Modalverben | A1
This "Learn German" video focuses exclusively on the verb wollen, covering its grammar and usage.
Watch from the beginning until the explanation of sentence structure to see how wollen is positioned in statements and different types of questions. Then, watch the short section explaining when to use wollen, which focuses on expressing a wish or willingness. Finally, you can review the conjugation from the conjugation section and try the short quiz that follows to test your understanding.
Let's Practice: Your Future Plans
Now it's your turn to talk about the future. Think about your plans for tomorrow, the coming weekend, or even next month.
Task: Write 4-5 sentences about your future plans.
- Write at least two sentences using the present tense + time marker.
- Write at least two sentences using the modal verb wollen.
You can talk about your studies, hobbies, or anything else you plan to do. For example:
- Morgen lerne ich neue deutsche Vokabeln. (Tomorrow I'm learning new German vocabulary.)
- Ich will am Wochenende ein Videospiel spielen. (I want to play a video game on the weekend.)
- Nächste Woche besuche ich einen Freund. (Next week I'm visiting a friend.)
- Wir wollen am Abend einen Film sehen. (We want to watch a film in the evening.)
What are your plans? Was willst du machen?
Conclusion
Well done! You have now bridged the timeline from past to future. You can talk about what you did (Perfekt), what you are doing (Präsens), and now what you plan to do.
Key Takeaways:
- To talk about scheduled future events, you can simply use the present tense with a time marker (e.g., Morgen gehe ich ins Kino.).
- To express a desire, wish, or intention, use the modal verb wollen.
- The sentence structure with
wollenfollows the modal verb pattern: the conjugated form ofwollenis in position two, and the main action verb is at the end in its infinitive form (e.g., Ich will Deutsch lernen.).
This lesson completes a major block of your foundational grammar. In our next lesson, we will begin to consolidate everything you've learned in the A1 level. You'll practice reading and writing a simple email and prepare for a short introductory conversation that brings together past, present, and future topics.