B1 Danish GrammarFuture Tense
Express future actions in Danish using vil, skal, kommer til at, and present tense with time markers.
1Future with Vil
'Vil' + infinitive expresses willingness or intention for future actions.
Vil + Infinitive
| Danish | English | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Jeg vil rejse | I will travel | intention |
| Han vil hjælpe | He will help | willingness |
| Det vil ske | It will happen | prediction |
Examples
Jeg vil besøge mine forældre.
I will visit my parents.
intention
Det vil tage to timer.
It will take two hours.
prediction
Vil du ringe til mig senere?
Will you call me later?
request about future
Vejret vil blive bedre.
The weather will get better.
forecast
2Future with Skal
'Skal' expresses scheduled events, plans, or obligations in the future.
Skal for Future
| Danish | English | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Jeg skal arbejde | I'm going to work | plan |
| Toget skal afgå | The train is to depart | schedule |
| Du skal være der | You are to be there | obligation |
Examples
Vi skal flytte næste måned.
We are going to move next month.
planned action
Mødet skal starte klokken ti.
The meeting is to start at ten.
scheduled event
Hvornår skal du tilbage?
When are you supposed to be back?
asking about plans
Jeg skal til tandlægen i morgen.
I'm going to the dentist tomorrow.
appointment
3Kommer Til At
'Kommer til at' is the most neutral way to express future, similar to 'going to'.
Kommer til at Structure
| Subject | Kommer til at | Infinitive |
|---|---|---|
| Jeg | kommer til at | spise |
| Det | kommer til at | regne |
| Vi | kommer til at | savne dig |
Examples
Det kommer til at regne i morgen.
It's going to rain tomorrow.
prediction based on evidence
Jeg kommer til at savne dig.
I'm going to miss you.
emotional future
Det kommer til at tage lang tid.
It's going to take a long time.
expectation
Du kommer til at elske det.
You're going to love it.
confident prediction
4Present Tense for Future
Danish often uses present tense with time markers for definite future events.
Time Markers
| Danish | English |
|---|---|
| i morgen | tomorrow |
| næste uge | next week |
| om en time | in an hour |
| på fredag | on Friday |
Examples
Jeg rejser i morgen.
I'm traveling tomorrow.
present for scheduled future
Filmen starter om ti minutter.
The movie starts in ten minutes.
timetabled event
Vi ses på mandag.
We'll see each other on Monday.
arranged meeting
Butikken lukker klokken seks.
The shop closes at six.
fixed schedule