Breakdown of Estarán imaginando su futuro.
estar
to be (location/state)
su
his/her/its/their/your (formal)
el futuro
the future
imaginar
to imagine
Questions & Answers about Estarán imaginando su futuro.
Why is the future tense (estarán) used here when the English translation says "are probably" (present tense)?
In Spanish, the future tense isn't only used for events happening later. It is frequently used to express a guess, probability, or wonder about something happening right now. In this context, estarán translates closer to "they must be" or "they probably are."
What is the structure of estarán imaginando?
This is the future progressive form, made by combining the future tense of estar with a gerund (an -ando or -iendo word). Because it's being used for probability here, it paints a picture of an action you guess is actively in progress right at this very moment: "they must be imagining."
Could I just say Probablemente están imaginando su futuro instead?
Yes, absolutely! Using an adverb like probablemente or seguramente with the normal present progressive (están imaginando) means the exact same thing. Using the future tense to express a guess is just a very natural, concise alternative that native speakers use all the time.
How do we know su means "their" in this sentence?