Future In The Past (skulle/ville)

Level 5

The 'Future in the Past' is used to talk about plans, predictions, or destinies that were ahead of a specific point in the past. In English, this is usually expressed as 'was going to' or 'would'.

How It Works

This pattern is essential for storytelling and reported speech. It shifts the perspective to a past time and looks forward from there.

1. Ville + Infinitive (Predictions & Intentions)
Use ville when you are backshifting a neutral prediction or a person's will/intention. It is the past version of 'vil'.
Example: Han sagde, at han ville komme. (He said he would come.)

2. Skulle + Infinitive (Plans & Destiny)
Use skulle for arrangements, scheduled events, or 'fate'. It is the past version of 'skal'.
Example: Toget skulle køre klokken otte. (The train was supposed to leave at eight.)

Key Nuance: English speakers often default to ville for every 'would'. However, in Danish, if the event was a plan or an obligation, skulle is the correct choice. Skulle often carries a sense of 'was meant to' or 'was to'.

Examples (4)

  1. Hun vidste ikke, at hun skulle blive berømt.

    She did not know that she would [was to] become famous.

    Word by Word: She knew not, that she should become famous.

    Here, 'skulle' is used to describe a future destiny from a past perspective.

  2. Han lovede, at han ville ringe næste dag.

    He promised that he would call the next day.

    Word by Word: He promised, that he would call next day.

    Since this is a promise/intention, 'ville' (the past of 'vil') is used.

  3. Vi skulle have været i biografen, men vi ombestemte os.

    We were going to go to the cinema, but we changed our minds.

    Word by Word: We should have been in the-cinema, but we changed ourselves.

    This uses 'skulle' because it refers to a plan that was made in the past.

  4. Jeg troede, at det ville regne i dag.

    I thought that it would rain today.

    Word by Word: I thought, that it would rain in today.

    A prediction about the weather uses 'ville'.

Common Mistakes

  • Failing to backshift the modal verb in reported speech.

    Different MeaningHan sagde, at han vil komme.
    Han sagde, at han ville komme.

    After a past verb like 'sagde', the modal usually shifts to the past ('ville') to show the future was seen from the past. Danish can keep the present when the plan still holds, but 'ville' is the usual choice.

  • Using 'ville' for scheduled events instead of 'skulle'.

    Mødet ville starte klokken ni.
    Mødet skulle starte klokken ni.

    For scheduled plans or arrangements, Danish uses 'skulle'. 'Ville' would imply the meeting had a 'will' or 'desire' to start.

  • Adding 'at' before the infinitive.

    Jeg skulle at gå.
    Jeg skulle gå.

    Modal verbs in Danish are followed by a bare infinitive without the marker 'at'.

How It Connects

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

Future In The Past (skulle/ville)Level 5

Learn This First

To understand the 'future in the past', you must first be familiar with how the modal verbs 'skulle' and 'ville' are used to express future intentions or events in the present. You also need to know their past tense forms, as this construction simply shifts those future-oriented modals into the past tense to describe events that were yet to happen at a previous point in time.

Words in This Pattern

skulleville