Future Perfect
The future perfect (Futur II) expresses that an action will have been completed by a certain point in the future.
It's formed with 'werden' + past participle + 'haben' or 'sein' (infinitive).
This lesson covers how to form and use the future perfect tense in German.
Explanation
Form: werden (conjugated) + past participle + haben/sein (infinitive).
Example: 'Ich werde gelernt haben' (I will have learned), 'Er wird gegangen sein' (He will have gone).
The structure is: subject + werden + past participle + haben/sein.
Future perfect is used to express completion before a future point: 'Bis morgen werde ich es gelesen haben' (By tomorrow I will have read it).
Future Perfect Conjugation
| Subject | werden | Past Participle | haben/sein | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | werde | gelernt | haben | Ich werde gelernt haben | I will have learned |
| du | wirst | gelernt | haben | Du wirst gelernt haben | You will have learned |
| er/sie/es | wird | gelernt | haben | Er wird gelernt haben | He will have learned |
| wir | werden | gelernt | haben | Wir werden gelernt haben | We will have learned |
| ihr | werdet | gelernt | haben | Ihr werdet gelernt haben | You will have learned |
| sie | werden | gelernt | haben | Sie werden gelernt haben | They will have learned |
Examples
Bis morgen werde ich das Buch gelesen haben.
By tomorrow I will have read the book.
Er wird bis dahin gegangen sein.
He will have gone by then.
Wir werden es bis nächste Woche verstanden haben.
We will have understood it by next week.
Common Mistakes
Ich werde gelernt
Ich werde gelernt haben
Future perfect requires both past participle and 'haben' (infinitive). Don't forget 'haben' at the end.
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding with interactive exercises. Practice makes perfect!
Start Exercises →Related Topics
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which article to use?
German articles (der, die, das) depend on the gender of the noun. While there are some patterns, many nouns must be memorized. Practice and exposure to German will help you learn them naturally.
What's the difference between definite and indefinite articles?
Definite articles (der, die, das) mean 'the' and refer to specific things. Indefinite articles (ein, eine) mean 'a/an' and refer to non-specific things. Both must match the noun's gender: use 'ein' for masculine/neuter and 'eine' for feminine.
Are there rules for determining noun gender?
While there are some helpful patterns (e.g., words ending in -ung are usually feminine), there are many exceptions. The best approach is to learn nouns with their articles from the beginning.
What happens if I use the wrong article?
While using the wrong article is a common mistake, native speakers will usually still understand you. However, using the correct article is important for sounding natural and fluent in German.