Future Indicative of First and Second Conjugations

First- and second-conjugation verbs form their ordinary future indicative with a conspicuous b: laudābō “I will praise,” monēbis “you will warn.” This is often called the b-future. It belongs to the present system, so it is built from the present stem—the stem revealed by the present infinitive—not from the perfect principal part.

The future indicative presents a situation as expected or located after the speaker’s present. It does not by itself express a wish, command, or condition. Those meanings may require a different mood or construction. The regular forms on this page are neutral in Classical prose; special poetic or later patterns are labeled where they occur.

Start from the correct stem

Take the present infinitive and remove -re:

Then add the future endings -bō, -bis, -bit, -bimus, -bitis, -bunt. The long characteristic vowel remains visible: -āb- in the first conjugation and -ēb- in the second. The first-person singular is special in having -bō, while the third-person plural has -bunt.

The active paradigms

The final part of each form carries person and number, so an expressed subject pronoun is normally unnecessary. Laudābimus already means “we will praise.” A pronoun such as nōs adds contrast or emphasis: nōs laudābimus “we will praise [even if others do not].” Both uses are neutral Classical prose.

The first two examples also show that English “will” does not identify the Latin conjugation. Explicābō uses the first-conjugation b-future; monēbō uses the second. Meanwhile conveniam, scrībēmus, and dormiēmus belong to other conjugations and therefore use a different future pattern.

What the future means in context

The future indicative normally makes a prediction, announces an intention, promises an action, or describes what will happen under a future condition. These are contextual effects of one indicative tense, not separate conjugations.

English often uses a present tense in a future time clause—“when you arrive”—but Latin may use a future form where futurity matters: perveniēs. Translate the whole relationship, not each tense label mechanically. Conversely, Latin can use the present for a vividly scheduled or immediate event. Context and authorial viewpoint matter; there is no rule that every English will must become this tense.

The indicative is also distinct from a command. Portam claudēs can sound directive in a suitable context—“you will close the gate”—but morphologically it is future indicative. The ordinary explicit command is imperative portam claude. Tone may make their practical force similar while their grammar remains different.

The passive b-future

The same future marker combines with passive endings. The core forms are laudābor, laudāberis, laudābitur, laudābimur, laudābiminī, laudābuntur and monēbor, monēberis, monēbitur, monēbimur, monēbiminī, monēbuntur. The second-person singular also occurs as laudābere, monēbere. These are all neutral Classical forms.

Active dominus convīvās laudābit makes the host the agent; passive convīvae ā dominō laudābuntur makes the guests the grammatical subject. The future time is the same. Voice changes the event’s perspective, not its location in time. See Future Passive Indicative for the complete cross-conjugation system.

Do not confuse future and imperfect

First- and second-conjugation futures resemble the imperfect because both contain b. The following vowel and ending distinguish them:

The time adverbs confirm the interpretation, but the forms themselves already contrast -bam with -bō. Review the full imperfect pattern on Imperfect Indicative across the Conjugations.

Common Mistakes

1. Building the future from the perfect stem. The future is a present-system tense.

2. Giving a first-conjugation verb the third-conjugation future. The infinitive -āre predicts the b-future.

3. Translating every b-form as future. The imperfect also contains b.

4. Ignoring voice. Passive endings make the subject the recipient of the action.

Key Takeaways

Use the present stem: first-conjugation -ā- or second-conjugation -ē-. Add -bō, -bis, -bit, -bimus, -bitis, -bunt for the active, or the corresponding passive endings. Read person, number, voice, and mood from the Latin form before selecting an English translation. The b-future is regular and neutral Classical prose; its resemblance to the imperfect is a spelling cue to inspect the whole ending, not a reason to guess.