The Present for the Future
Luxembourgish usually talks about the future with the present tense and a time word: Muer fueren ech op Paräis (Tomorrow I am going to Paris).
How It Works
Time words for the future
- muer (tomorrow), iwwermuer (the day after tomorrow) – see haut, muer, gëschter
- den Owend (this evening), de Weekend (this weekend)
- d'nächst Woch (next week), d'nächst Joer (next year)
- e Méindeg (on Monday) – see days of the week
- an zéng Minutten (in ten minutes)
Word order
The time word can come first or after the verb: Muer fueren ech op Paräis or Ech fuere muer op Paräis. Either way the conjugated verb is second, as in every statement. After the verb, time usually comes before place: see time before place.
When the context is enough
In a conversation about plans, the time word can be left out: Wat méchs du de Weekend? – Ech besiche meng Grousselteren.
Other ways
Wäert with an infinitive is also possible, especially for guesses and predictions: Et wäert muer reenen. Do not use wëllen (to want) or goen + infinitive as a future tense.
Examples (6)
- Muer fueren ech op Paräis.
Tomorrow I am going to Paris.
Word by Word: Tomorrow drive I to Paris.
Muer is first, so fueren comes second and ech follows it.
- D'nächst Woch hu mir keng Schoul.
We have no school next week.
Word by Word: The next week have we no school.
Hunn becomes hu before the m of mir because of the n-rule.
- Ech ruffen dech den Owend un.
I will call you this evening.
Word by Word: I call you the evening on.
Uruffen is a separable verb, so un goes to the end even in a future plan.
- Iwwermuer hunn ech Gebuertsdag.
The day after tomorrow is my birthday.
Word by Word: Day after tomorrow have I birthday.
Luxembourgish says you have your birthday.
- Wat méchs du de Weekend?
What are you doing this weekend?
Word by Word: What do you the weekend?
De Weekend means this weekend, so the present already refers to the future.
- Den Zuch kënnt an zéng Minutten.
The train is coming in ten minutes.
Word by Word: The train comes in ten minutes.
An zéng Minutten means in ten minutes from now.
Common Mistakes
Putting the subject before the verb after a fronted time word.
Muer ech fueren op Paräis.Muer fueren ech op Paräis.The time word takes first place, so the conjugated verb must come next, and the subject goes after it.
Using wëllen as if it meant will.
Et wëll muer reenen.Et reent muer.The intended meaning is It will rain tomorrow, but wëllen means to want. Use the present with a time word, or wäert: Et wäert muer reenen.
Using goen as a future tense.
Ech ginn dech den Owend uruffen.Ech ruffen dech den Owend un.The intended meaning is I will call you this evening. Goen + infinitive would mean going somewhere to call. The present with den Owend is the natural future.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Before The Present for the Future, learn Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday and Present Tense Endings.
Related Patterns
- wäert + InfinitiveFuture and Guesses: Wäert
Wäert is the other way to talk about the future, often for guesses.
Level 3 - goen + InfinitiveGoing to Do Something: Goen + Infinitive
Goen + infinitive means going to do something somewhere, not the future tense.
Level 2 - The Verb Comes Second
A fronted time word takes first place, so the verb comes second.
Level 1 - Time, Manner, Place
After the verb, the time word usually comes before a place: Ech fuere muer op Paräis.
Level 3 - Days of the Week
Days such as e Méindeg are common future time words.
Level 1
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