Future With o să

Level 2

The o să future is the 'default' future for daily life. It is used for plans, intentions, and predictions. It consists of the unchanging particle o, the conjunction să, and the verb in the present subjunctive.

How It Works

The o să future is the workhorse of the Romanian language. While textbooks often start with the voi future, native speakers use o să in almost every informal and semi-formal context.

1. Structure:
The formula is: o + să + Subjunctive Verb. The word o remains invariable (it does not change for I, you, he, etc.).
Example: Eu o să merg (I will go).
Example: Noi o să mergem (We will go).

2. The Subjunctive Requirement:
The verb following să must be in the subjunctive. For most persons, this is identical to the present indicative. However, you must be careful with the third person (singular and plural), where the ending often changes (e.g., el mănâncă becomes el o să mănânce).

3. Negation (N-o să):
To make this future negative, we use nu. In natural speech, nu o să often contracts to n-o să.
Example: N-o să cred așa ceva. (I won't believe such a thing).

4. The "Am să" Variant:
You will also hear a variation using the present tense of a avea + să + subjunctive (e.g., am să merg, ai să vezi). This is a close alternative to o să and is frequently used to express personal intentions, determinations, or promises.

5. Pronoun Placement:
If you use object pronouns or reflexive pronouns, they are placed between să and the verb.
Example: O să te sun. (I will call you).

6. Contractions:
In fast speech, să often blends with pronouns starting with vowels:

  • o să îl → o să-l
  • o să o → o s-o

Other spoken forms: Regional om să belongs to a different future pattern. O fi can express a future or a conjecture, depending on context; it is not automatically an error for o să fie.

Examples (6)

  1. Diseară o să mergem la cinema.

    Tonight we are going to go to the cinema.

    Word by Word: Tonight (it) will that (we) go to cinema.

    A typical plan for the near future using the first-person plural.

  2. Cred că o să plouă în curând.

    I think it’s going to rain soon.

    Word by Word: I think that (it) will that (it) rain in soon.

    Using the future to make a prediction about the weather.

  3. Nu-ți face griji, o să te ajut eu.

    Don't worry, I will help you.

    Word by Word: Not to you make worries, (it) will that you help I.

    A promise or offer of help. Note how the pronoun 'te' sits between 'să' and 'ajut'.

  4. N-o să vină la petrecere.

    He/She will not come to the party.

    Word by Word: Not will that (he/she) come to party.

    This shows the negative form 'n-o să', which is the standard way to say 'will not' in spoken Romanian.

  5. O să-l sun mâine dimineață.

    I will call him tomorrow morning.

    Word by Word: (It) will that him call tomorrow morning.

    Demonstrates the contraction 'să + îl' becoming 'să-l'.

  6. Am să-ți spun totul mai târziu.

    I will tell you everything later.

    Word by Word: (I) have that to you tell all more late.

    An example of the 'am să' variant, often used for personal intentions or promises.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the indicative instead of the subjunctive for the 3rd person.

    El o să vine.
    El o să vină.

    In the 3rd person, the verb must change to its subjunctive form (usually ending in -ă or -e).

How It Connects

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

Future With o săLevel 2

Learn This First

To form the future with 'o să', you need to be familiar with present tense verb conjugations, as this future construction uses the present subjunctive (which is identical to the present indicative for most verbs and persons, except for the third person singular and plural).

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

osă