Icelandic often uses the simple present tense to talk about the future. However, when you want to express a strong assumption, a logical deduction, or certainty about something that hasn't happened yet, you use the auxiliary verb munu (will).
To form these future deductions, use a conjugated form of munu followed by the main verb in its infinitive form.
Here is how you conjugate munu:
| Pronoun | Form of munu |
|---|---|
| ég / hann / hún / það | mun |
| þú | munt |
| við | munum |
| þið | munuð |
| þeir / þær / þau | munu |
Let's look at some examples of munu in action, exploring space (geimurinn). Notice how munu changes to match the subject, while the action itself stays in the infinitive:
| The spaceship will land tomorrow. | Geimfarið mun lenda á morgun. |
| The astronaut will walk on the moon. | Geimfarinn mun ganga á tunglinu. |
| We will find a new planet. | Við munum finna nýja reikistjörnu. |
Conditions and Outcomes
Because munu expresses a logical deduction, it is frequently paired with "if" (ef) clauses to state what will inevitably happen under certain conditions.
When the sentence starts with the main subject, the word order is exactly what you would expect (Subject + munu + infinitive):
| You will see the moon well if you use the telescope. | Þú munt sjá tunglið vel ef þú notar sjónaukann. |
However, remember the V2 (verb-second) rule in Icelandic: if you start the sentence with the "if" clause, the conjugated verb (mun) must come immediately after it, before the subject:
| If the weather is good, the spaceship will fly into space. | Ef veðrið er gott mun geimfarið fljúga í geiminn. |
Adverbs with Munu
When using adverbs like aldrei (never), place them after the conjugated form of munu but before the infinitive verb.
| We will never find an alien here. | Við munum aldrei finna geimveru hér. |
Now you are ready to make your own predictions about the cosmos!
| The telescope will show us the whole solar system. | Sjónaukinn mun sýna okkur allt sólkerfið. |