Future Tense (미래)

When it comes to the Future tense, it gets a bit complicated. Why? Because there are two future tenses in Korean..

1) PROBABLE FUTURE TENSE

With this future tense, we express that something will probably happen. Based on my experience, this is the most commonly used future tense amongst Korean speakers.

Probable Future Tense / POLITE FORM

As per usual, we need to check whether a 받침 exists or not.

Words ending with 받침 + 을 거예요
Words ending without 받침 + ㄹ  거예요

Example:
가다 = > 갈 거예요 (I will probably go)
먹다 => 먹을 거예요 (I will probably eat)

Probable Future Tense / FORMAL FORM

Pretty easy to form, as long as you know the polite form.
Here is the basic pattern

1) Form the polite future
2) Drop the 거예요
3) Add 겁니다 in its place.

Example:
가다 = > 갈 겁니다 (I will probably go)
먹다 => 먹을 겁니다 (I will probably eat)

Probable Future Tense / CASUAL FORM

Once again pretty straightforward if you know the polite form of the probable future tense.
Instead of 거예요 you use 거야.


2) INTENTIONAL FUTURE TENSE

With this future tense, we express that we intend to do something or the strong supposition that something will happen.

Intentional Future Tense / POLITE FORM

Regardless of  받침, we attach --겠어요 after the verb stem.

Example:
가다 = > 가겠어요 (I will go (I intend to do so))
먹다 => 먹겠어요 (I will eat (I intend to do so))

Intentional Future Tense / FORMAL FORM

Regardless of  받침, we attach --겠습니다 after the verb stem.

Example:
가다 = > 가겠습니다 (I will go (I intend to do so))
먹다 => 먹겠습니다 (I will eat (I intend to do so))

Intentional Future Tense / CASUAL FORM

Once again pretty straightforward if you know the polite form of the intentional future tense. You simply drop the -요 from 겠어요.


*** Sometimes the intentional future tense is used to express a question or a way of thinking in a more polite way. 
For example:
여기까지 알겠어요? => Did you understand (get it?) so far?