The Future Prefix (سـ)
To talk about the future in Arabic, you do not need to learn a whole new set of verb conjugations. Instead, simply attach the prefix سـ directly to the beginning of a present tense verb. This acts just like the English word "will."
| The vacation will start tomorrow. | ستبدأ العطلة غدا.satabda'u al-'utlatu ghadan |
| What will we do in the vacation? | ماذا سنفعل في العطلة؟mâdhâ sanaf'alu fî al-'utlati؟ |
| I will book a hotel and we will stay there. | سأحجز فندقا وسنبقى هناك.sa'aḥjizu funduqan wasanabqâ hunâka |
The Future Word (سوف)
Another way to express the future tense is to use the word سوف. It is placed right before the present tense verb, but unlike سـ, it is written as a separate, standalone word.
While سـ and سوف are largely interchangeable in everyday communication, سوف is sometimes used to talk about the slightly more distant future or to give the sentence a slightly more formal tone.
| We will travel to Egypt in the vacation. | سوف نسافر إلى مصر في العطلة.sawfa nusâfiru ilâ misra fî al-'utlati. |
| They will visit the family soon. | سوف يزورون العائلة قريبا.sawfa yazûrûna al-'â'ilata qarîban |
Making Travel Plans
When discussing future plans and upcoming vacations, you will often pair these future tense markers with adverbs of time such as غدا (tomorrow), قريبا (soon), or the adjective القادم (next / coming).
| We will visit Egypt soon, this is an excellent plan. | سوف نزور مصر قريبا، هذه خطة ممتازة.sawfa nazûru misra qarîban, hâdhihi khuttatun mumtâzatun. |
| We will travel to Egypt next month. | سنسافر إلى مصر الشهر القادم.sanusâfiru ilâ misra ash-shahra al-qâdim. |
| What will you do on your next vacation? | ماذا سوف تفعل في عطلتك القادمة؟mâdhâ sawfa tafalu fî utlatika al-qâdimah |
