How to Form and Use the Future Tense in Latvian

Understanding the Future Tense in Latvian

In Latvian, the future tense is used to describe actions that will happen later than the present moment. Unlike English, Latvian forms the future tense primarily using the verb "būt" (to be) as an auxiliary verb combined with the infinitive or present stem of the main verb.

Forming the Future Tense with the Verb "būt"

The most common way to form the future tense in Latvian is by using the future form of the verb "būt" plus the infinitive of the main verb. The future forms of "būt" are:

• es būšu (I will be)
• tu būsi (you will be)
• viņš/viņa būs (he/she will be)
• mēs būsim (we will be)
• jūs būsiet (you all will be)
• viņi/viņas būs (they will be)

To form the future tense, combine the correct form of "būt" with the infinitive of the main verb. For example:

• Es būšu lasīt (I will read)
• Tu būsi rakstīt (You will write)
• Viņa būs strādāt (She will work)

Using the Present Stem for Future Actions

In spoken Latvian, the future tense is often formed by using the present tense of the main verb with a future time adverb or context, especially for verbs that naturally imply future action. However, the formal future tense uses "būt" as described above.

Examples of Future Tense Usage

Here are some examples showing the future tense in Latvian:

• Rīt es būšu ceļā uz Rīgu. (Tomorrow I will be on the way to Riga.)
• Viņi būs pabeiguši darbu līdz vakaram. (They will have finished the work by evening.)
• Mēs būsim mājās pēc pusdienām. (We will be at home after lunch.)

Common Time Expressions Used with the Future Tense

To indicate future time, Latvian often uses time expressions such as:

• rīt (tomorrow)
• nākamnedēļ (next week)
• drīz (soon)
• pēc stundas (in an hour)
• vēlāk (later)

Practice Phrases for Future Tense in Latvian