We learned how to translate past tense verbs and present tense verbs in English to Filipino in the last two posts. In this post, we’ll look into translating English verbs in the future tense to Filipino. We’ll consider the simple future tense and the future continuous tense.

SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE

In English, a verb expressed in the simple future tense talks about an action or event that will take place in some future time. There are two ways to form the simple future tense: (1) using the helping verb will + the base form of the verb (e.g., will eat) and (2) am/is/are + going to + the base form of the verb (e.g., is going to eat).

In Filipino, there are no direct equivalents for the words will or going to when expressing the future tense. The Filipino action verb is just conjugated appropriately to express the future tense. It does not matter whether the action or event is a prediction or intention. If the speaker is talking about something that he or she expects or predicts will happen in the future, the future tense of the Filipino verb is used.

Since Filipino has only three tenses (past, present, and future), sentences in the simple future tense and future continuous tense will be translated the same way.

To form the future tense of Filipino action verbs (pandiwa sa panahunang panghinaharap) with the actor-focus, the root word of the verb is prefixed with mag– or ma– and/or its first syllable, first letter, or first two letters (the first consonant-vowel pair) is reduplicated. Adverbs of time may be used to provide more context.

The sentences below use the form [will + base form of the verb].

1. You will paint. = Ikaw ay magpipinta. / Magpipinta ka. [root word = pinta; mag + pi + pinta]

2. You will paint tomorrow. = Ikaw ay magpipinta bukas. / Magpipinta ka bukas.

3. We will study. = Tayo ay mag-aaral. / Mag-aaral tayo. [root word = aral; mag + a + aral]

4. We will study on Saturday. = Tayo ay mag-aaral sa Sabado. / Mag-aaral tayo sa Sabado.

5. David will listen to music. = Si David ay makikinig sa tugtugin. / Makikinig sa tugtugin si David. / Makikinig si David sa tugtugin. [root word = kinig; ma + ki + kinig]

6. David will listen to music later. = Si David ay makikinig sa tugtugin mamaya. / Makikinig sa tugtugin mamaya si David. / Makikinig si David sa tugtugin mamaya.

7. He will sleep on the sofa. = Siya ay matutulog sa sopa. / Matutulog siya sa sopa. [root word: tulog; ma + tu + tulog]

8. He will sleep on the sofa tonight. = Siya ay matutulog sa sopa ngayon gabi. / Matutulog siya sa sopa ngayong gabi.

9. I will swim. = Ako ay lalangoy. / Lalangoy ako. [root word = langoy; la + langoy]

10. I will swim later. = Ako ay lalangoy mamaya. / Lalangoy ako mamaya.

11. The baby will cry. = Ang sanggol ay iiyak. / Iiyak ang sanggol. [root word = iyak; i + iyak]

12. The baby will cry if you leave. = Ang sanggol ay iiyak kung aalis ka. / Iiyak ang sanggol kung aalis ka.

13. Father said it will rain. = Si Tatay ay nagsabi na uulan. [root word: ulan; u + ulan]

14. Father said it will rain tomorrow. = Si Tatay ay nagsabi na uulan bukas.

The sentences below use the form [am/is/are + going to + base form of the verb]. Note that the Filipino translations are the same as the ones above.

15. You are going to paint. = Ikaw ay magpipinta. / Magpipinta ka. [root word = pinta; mag + pi + pinta]

16. We are going to study. = Tayo ay mag-aaral. / Mag-aaral tayo. [root word = aral; mag + a + aral]

17. David is going to listen to music. = Si David ay makikinig sa tugtugin. / Makikinig sa tugtugin si David. / Makikinig si David sa tugtugin. [root word = kinig; ma + ki + kinig]

18. He is going to sleep on the sofa. = Siya ay matutulog sa sopa. / Matutulog siya sa sopa. [root word: tulog; ma + tu + tulog]

19. I am going to swim. = Ako ay lalangoy. / Lalangoy ako. [root word = langoy; la + langoy]

20. The baby is going to cry. = Ang sanggol ay iiyak. / Iiyak ang sanggol. [root word = iyak; i + iyak]

21. Father said it is going to rain. = Si Tatay ay nagsabi na uulan. [root word: ulan; u + ulan]

FUTURE CONTINUOUS TENSE

The future continuous tense, also called the future progressive tense, talks about an ongoing action or event that will begin and end in some future time. To make the future continuous tense, the helping verb will be is combined with the present participle of the verb or the -ing verb.

To form the future tense of actor-focused Filipino verbs, the root word of the verb is prefixed with mag– or ma– and/or its first syllable, first letter, or first two letters (consonant-vowel pair) is reduplicated.

22. You will be driving. = Ikaw ay magmamaneho. / Magmamaneho ka. [root word = maneho; mag + ma + maneho]

23. The child will be playing in the backyard. = Ang bata ay maglalaro sa bakuran. / Maglalaro ang bata sa bakuran. / Maglalaro sa bakuran ang bata. [root word = laro; ma + la + laro]

24. We will be celebrating our first anniversary. = Tayo ay magdiriwang ng ating unang anibersaryo. / Magdiriwang tayo ng ating unang anibersaryo. [root word: diwang; mag + di + diwang → magdiriwang]

25. I will be bathing in the river. = Ako ay maliligo sa ilog. / Maliligo ako sa ilog. [root word = ligo; ma + li + ligo]

26. We will be coming with you. = Kami ay sasama sa iyo. / Sasama kami sa iyo. [root word = sama; sa + sama]

27. Mara will be running tomorrow. = Si Mara ay tatakbo bukas. / Tatakbo si Mara bukas. [root word: takbo; ta + takbo]

28. The women will be sitting on the chairs. = Ang mga babae ay uupo sa mga upuan. / Uupo ang mga babae sa mga upuan. [root word: upo; u + upo]

The simple future tense and future continuous tense are both translated to Filipino using the future tense form of the Filipino verb. In Filipino, there is only one future tense.

OBJECT-FOCUSED FILIPINO VERBS IN THE FUTURE TENSE

Some object-focused Filipino verbs in the future tense are formed using reduplication of the first syllable, first letter, or first two letters (consonant-vowel pair) and the addition of a suffix. The possible suffixes are -in, -an, -han, and -hin.

Let’s use the simple future tense of the verb in the passive voice. (I will not discuss the future continuous tense in the passive voice because it is not often used.) To make a sentence in the simple future tense with a passive voice, the pattern used is [Object + will be + past participle of the verb + subject in the active sentence].

29. ACTIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: I will eat the leftover pizza. = Ako ay kakain ng natirang pizza. [root word: kain; ka + kain = actor focus]

30. PASSIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: The leftover pizza will be eaten by me. = Ang natirang pizza ay kakainin ko. / Kakainin ko ang natirang pizza. [root word: kain; ka + kain + in = object focus]

It should be noted that an English sentence in the active voice can also be translated to Filipino using the object-focused verb.

31. ACTIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: I will eat the leftover pizza. = Kakainin ko ang natirang pizza. [root word: kain; ka + kain + in] (same translation of sentence 30)

The same is true for the examples below with object-focused verbs.

32. PASSIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: The telephone will be answered by the secretary. = Ang telepono ay sasagutin ng sekretarya. / Sasagutin ng sekretarya ang telepono. [root word: sagot; sa + sagot + in → sasagutin]

33. ACTIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: The secretary will answer the telephone. = Sasagutin ng sekretarya ang telepono.

34. PASSIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: The cloth will be used by the seamstress. = Ang tela ay gagamitin ng mananahi. / Gagamitin ng mananahi ang tela. [root word: gamit; ga + gamit + in]

35. ACTIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: The seamstress will use the cloth. = Gagamitin ng mananahi ang tela.

36. PASSIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: The dishes will be washed by Maria. = Ang mga pinggan ay huhugasan ni Maria. / Huhugasan ni Maria ang mga pinggan. [root word: hugas; hu + hugas + an]

37. ACTIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: Maria will wash the dishes. = Huhugasan ni Maria ang mga pinggan.

38. PASSIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: The door will be opened by the guard. = Ang pinto ay bubuksan ng guwardiya. / Bubuksan ng guwardiya ang pinto. [root word: buksan; bu + buksan]

39. ACTIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: The guard will open the door. = Bubuksan ng guwardiya ang pinto.

40. PASSIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: The summary will be read by the teacher. = Ang buod ay babasahin ng guro. / Babasahin ng guro ang buod. [root word: basa; ba + basa + hin]

41. ACTIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: The teacher will read the summary. = Babasahin ng guro ang buod.

42. PASSIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: The candle will be lighted by the priest. = Ang kandila ay sisindihan ng pari. / Sisindihan ng pari ang kandila. [root word: sindi; si + sindi + han]

43. ACTIVE VOICE-SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE: The priest will light the candle. = Sisindihan ng pari ang kandila.

Other object-focused Filipino verbs in the future tense are formed using the same reduplication and the prefix i-, such as isusulat (will be written), iluluto (will be cooked), and ililigpit (will be put away). The examples below are in the future tense and passive voice and use object-focused verbs.

44. The answer will be written on the blackboard. = Ang sagot ay isusulat sa pisara. / Isusulat sa pisara ang sagot. [root word: sulat; i + su + sulat]

45. The vegetables will be cooked in the pot. = Ang mga gulay ay iluluto sa kaldero. / Iluluto sa kaldero ang mga gulay. [root word: luto; i + lu + luto]

46. The toys will be put away before dinner. = Ang mga laruan ay ililigpit bago maghapunan. / Ililigpit ang mga laruan bago maghapunan. [root word: ligpit; i + li + ligpit]

We’ve covered translating English verbs in the past, present, and future tense to Filipino. Filipino has three main tenses (past, present, future), so English verbs in the simple and continuous/progressive tenses are translated the same way. Filipino verbs with the actor focus are conjugated differently from verbs with the object focus. When conjugating verbs, reduplication (repeating part of the root word) comes first before affixation. In affixation, Filipino verbs can have prefixes, infixes, or suffixes, or a combination of these affixes.

In my next post, I’ll provide a list of common Filipino verbs conjugated to show the three tenses. Happy learning!