Talking about the future: present + time marker and werden

GermanAQAGCSEUnit: Time Markers and the Three Time Frames
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The basics

Die Zukunft — Two Ways to Talk About the Future

🔮 Die Zukunft — Two Ways to Talk About the Future

German gives you two easy ways to talk about the future. The simplest is the present tense plus a future time marker — Morgen fahre ich nach Berlin. The second uses werden plus an infinitive — Ich werde nach Berlin fahren. Either one scores your "future time frame" mark, so pick whichever feels safest.
Spotlight
Über die Zukunft sprechen

The infinitive goes to the END: Ich werde morgen arbeiten. (Satzklammer — the verb bracket.)

Exam tip

Earn the mark scheme marks

💡 Exam Tips & Common Errors

  • For a quick, reliable future, use present + morgen / nächste Woche.
  • Use werden + infinitive to show range and impress at Higher.
  • The infinitive always goes to the end with werden — don't leave it stranded after the verb.
  • Remember werden changes for er/sie/es to wird (one d): Es wird regnen.

❌ Common error: Ich werde fahren nach Berlin morgen.

✓ Correct: Ich werde morgen nach Berlin fahren. (or: Morgen fahre ich nach Berlin.)

Why it costs marks: with werden, the infinitive (fahren) must go to the END of the clause. Putting it straight after werde breaks the verb bracket (Satzklammer) and costs AO3 marks.

Now try it yourself

Quiz · Question 1 of 10

What is the SIMPLEST way to express the future at GCSE German?

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