The Future Tense in Dutch: gaan, zullen and the Present — A2 Dutch Grammar Course, Lesson 8 | My Dutch Journal

The Future Tense in Dutch: gaan, zullen and the Present | A2 Dutch, Lesson 8

July 4, 2026

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Welcome to lesson eight of the A2 Dutch Grammar Course. In Dutch there are three common ways to talk about the future. You can use gaan plus an infinitive. You can use zullen plus an infinitive. Or you can simply use the present tense with a future time expression. You already know zullen from the modal verbs lesson, and you have been using gaan since the beginning of the course. In this lesson you will see how all three constructions work together as a system, and you will get practical guidance on which one to choose.

Gaan + infinitief

The first construction is gaan plus an infinitive. You already know the present tense of gaan — ik ga, jij gaat, with t-drop in questions, and wij gaan. The infinitive goes to the end of the sentence. Ik ga dit weekend mijn ouders bezoeken — I am going to visit my parents this weekend. Ze gaat morgen vroeg beginnen — She is going to start early tomorrow. Het gaat de hele middag regenen — It is going to rain all afternoon. Wij gaan volgende week verhuizen — We are going to move house next week. Use gaan especially when the subject moves to do something, when an activity is about to start, or when a change of situation is expected. The weather — het gaat regenen — is a very typical gaan context.

Zullen + infinitief

The second construction is zullen plus an infinitive. The forms are: ik zal, hij zal, and wij zullen. For jij, both zal and zult are correct. For formal u, zult is the standard form. In questions with jij, the t drops: zal or zul jij? Zullen has three main uses. First, promises: Ik zal je morgen bellen — I will call you tomorrow. The speaker is making a commitment. Second, suggestions with wij or ik: Zullen we een wandeling maken? — Shall we go for a walk? Zal ik de deur opendoen? — Shall I open the door? These Zullen we and Zal ik formulas are very common in Dutch — they are fixed patterns worth learning by heart. Third, likelihood or assumption: Ze zal wel weten wat ze moet doen — She will probably know what to do. The word wel often appears in this pattern to signal assumption.

Tegenwoordige tijd als toekomst

The third option is simply the present tense with a time word that points to the future. Morgen werk ik thuis — Tomorrow I will work from home. Volgende week begint de cursus — Next week the course starts. Ze trouwen in september — They are getting married in September. Ik doe het straks wel — I will do it in a bit. A word like morgen, straks, volgende week, over een uur, or binnenkort makes it immediately clear that you are talking about the future, and no extra construction is needed. This is actually the most natural option in many everyday situations in Dutch. When you are not sure which future construction to use, the present tense with a time word is often a safe choice.

Wanneer gebruik je welke vorm?

When should you choose which construction? Here is the practical guide. Use gaan for plans involving movement or a clear change — going somewhere, starting something, or a weather prediction. Use zullen for promises, suggestions, and assumptions — especially the fixed Zullen we and Zal ik formulas. Use the present tense when something is a scheduled fact and a time word is already in the sentence. Now here is the honest truth: in many situations, more than one construction is possible and a native Dutch speaker would accept several of them. The differences are subtle preferences, not absolute rules. If you are ever unsure, reach for the present tense with a clear time word. That is usually the safest and most natural option.

Woordvolgorde

The word order for all three future constructions follows the same pattern you already know. With gaan and zullen, the verb is in position two and the infinitive goes to the very end. Ik ga morgen in het park wandelen — ga in position two, wandelen at the end. Zij zal het morgen doen — zal in position two, doen at the end. With the present tense, there is only one verb, and it goes in position two as always. In questions, the finite verb moves to position one. Ga jij dit weekend sporten? — ga first, subject after, infinitive at the end. The rule is exactly the same as for modal verbs: two-part structure, finite verb in position two, infinitive at the end.

Wat heb je geleerd?

Let's review. First: gaan plus an infinitive is used for plans involving movement, the start of an activity, or a change of situation. Ik ga for singular first person, gaat for second and third person singular with t-drop in questions, gaan for plural. The infinitive goes to the end. Second: zullen plus an infinitive for promises, suggestions, and likelihood. The most important formulas are Zullen we for suggestions and Zal ik for offers. Again, infinitive at the end. Third: the present tense with a future time word is simple, natural, and usually safe. Add morgen, straks, volgende week, or binnenkort and the future meaning is clear. The word order rule is the same for all three: finite verb in position two, and for gaan and zullen, the infinitive goes to the end.

Practice What You Learned

Reading about grammar is step one — using it is what makes it stick. In My Dutch Journal Academy you can watch the full video of this lesson, do interactive exercises that check your answers instantly, and practise all the vocabulary from the A2 course.