wäert + Infinitive

Future and Guesses: Wäert

Level 3

Wäert + infinitive means will or is probably: Et wäert muer reenen (It will rain tomorrow), Hie wäert krank sinn (He is probably ill).

How It Works

1. The forms
Wäerten has only a present tense. Its forms are short:

  • ech wäert, du wäerts, hie/hatt wäert
  • mir wäerten, dir wäert, si wäerten

The plural forms follow the n-rule: si wäerten ukommen, but si wäerte muer kommen.

2. Word order
Wäert takes second place and the infinitive goes to the end, just like with a modal verb: Et wäert muer reenen. In a subordinate clause, wäert usually stands just before the infinitive at the end: Ech mengen, datt et muer wäert reenen.

3. A guess about now
Very often wäert does not point to the future at all. It shows that the speaker is guessing, much like English probably or must. The word wuel (probably) often goes with it:

  • Hie wäert krank sinn. (He is probably ill.)
  • Dat wäert wuel stëmmen. (That is probably right.)

4. A prediction or a warning
Wäert can also state firmly what will happen, or warn someone: D'Wieder wäert sech änneren (The weather will change), Du wäerts dech nach wonneren! (You are in for a surprise!). In formal letters it makes a promise: Ech wäert Är Demande weiderreechen (I will pass on your request).

5. Everyday plans use the present
For a plan or an arrangement, Luxembourgish normally uses the present tense with a time word: Muer fueren ech op Paräis. Compare Hie gëtt muer bestuet (He is getting married tomorrow, a known fact) with Hie wäert muer bestuet ginn (He will get married tomorrow, as far as the speaker has heard). See The Present for the Future.

6. Not ginn
Luxembourgish does not build the future with ginn. Ginn with a participle makes the passive: D'Haus gëtt gebaut (The house is being built). See The Passive.

7. Guesses about the past
With a participle and hunn or sinn, wäert guesses about something already done: Si wäert den Zuch verpasst hunn (She has probably missed the train). See Future Perfect.

Examples (6)

  1. Et wäert muer reenen.

    It will rain tomorrow.

    A prediction: wäert is second and the infinitive reenen is last.

  2. Hie wäert krank sinn.

    He is probably ill.

    A guess about the present, not the future. Hien becomes hie before w by the n-rule.

  3. D'Wieder wäert sech änneren.

    The weather will change.

  4. Et huet vill geschneit, si wäerte sech verspéiden.

    It has snowed a lot, so they will probably be late.

    Before sech the n of wäerten may drop or stay: wäerte sech or wäerten sech.

  5. Du wäerts dech nach wonneren!

    You are in for a surprise!

    A warning. The du form ends in -s: du wäerts.

  6. Ech wäert Är Demande weiderreechen.

    I will pass on your request.

    A formal promise, as in a letter or an e-mail.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the -s off the du form.

    Du wäert dech wonneren!
    Du wäerts dech wonneren!

    Like most verbs, wäerten adds -s for du: du wäerts.

  • Putting the infinitive before other words.

    Et wäert reene muer.
    Et wäert muer reenen.

    The infinitive goes to the very end of the clause, after time words like muer.

  • Keeping the n of wäerten before a consonant that drops it.

    Si wäerten muer kommen.
    Si wäerte muer kommen.

    The n-rule applies to wäerten too: the n drops before m.

How It Connects

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

wäert + InfinitiveLevel 3Future and Guesses: Wäert

Learn This First

Before Future and Guesses: Wäert, learn The Present for the Future and Modal Verb and Infinitive.

Words in This Pattern

wäerten