Present Tense for Planned Future

Level 3Sounds Like câperašní ŭ značénní budučaga

Заўтра я еду ў Віцебск. (Tomorrow I am going to Vitsebsk.) The present tense and a time word describe a plan that is already fixed.

How It Works

English uses I am going for arranged plans, and Belarusian does the same with its present tense:

  • Travel plans: Заўтра я еду ў Віцебск. У суботу мы ідзём у тэатр. У пятніцу я лячу ў Рым.
  • Timetables: Цягнік адыходзіць а восьмай. (The train leaves at eight.) Канцэрт пачынаецца а сёмай.
  • Arrangements: Сёння ўвечары мы сустракаемся з сябрамі. Што ты робіш у нядзелю?

Pick the one-way motion verb. A planned trip goes in one direction, so use іду or еду, not хаджу or езджу, which mean repeated trips (ісці and хадзіць, ехаць and ездзіць). Use іду on foot and еду by any vehicle.

Only imperfective verbs work this way. A perfective verb's present-style forms already mean the future: Заўтра я паеду ў Віцебск presents the trip as a decision, while Заўтра я еду ў Віцебск presents it as already arranged. See the simple future and the future with буду.

Plans, not predictions. For weather or anything nobody has planned, use a real future: Заўтра будзе дождж. (It will rain tomorrow.)

The present can also tell past events vividly in a story: the historic present.

Examples (6)

  1. Заўтра я еду ў Віцебск.

    Tomorrow I'm going to Vitsebsk.

    Word by Word: Tomorrow I go (by vehicle) to Vitsebsk.

  2. У суботу мы ідзём у тэатр.

    On Saturday we're going to the theater.

    Word by Word: On Saturday we go to theater.

  3. Цягнік адыходзіць а восьмай раніцы.

    The train leaves at eight in the morning.

    Word by Word: Train leaves at eighth in-the-morning.

  4. У пятніцу я лячу ў Рым.

    On Friday I'm flying to Rome.

    Word by Word: On Friday I fly to Rome.

  5. Што ты робіш у нядзелю?

    What are you doing on Sunday?

    Word by Word: What you do on Sunday?

  6. Сёння ўвечары мы сустракаемся з сябрамі.

    Tonight we're meeting our friends.

    Word by Word: Today in-the-evening we meet with friends.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the round-trip verb for a single planned trip.

    Заўтра я езджу ў Віцебск.
    Заўтра я еду ў Віцебск.

    Ездзіць is for repeated or round trips. One planned trip uses the one-way verb: еду.

  • Using the walking verb for a trip by vehicle.

    Заўтра я іду цягніком у Віцебск.
    Заўтра я еду цягніком у Віцебск.

    For a person, ісці means going on foot. Travel by train, bus or car uses ехаць: еду.

  • Using the present for a prediction nobody planned.

    Заўтра ідзе дождж.
    Заўтра будзе дождж.

    The present with a future meaning is only for plans and timetables. A forecast needs the future: будзе.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Present Tense for Planned FutureLevel 3

Learn This First

Present for future needs the future and motion verbs.