The Irish future tense, known as an aimsir fháistineach, is used to talk about things that will happen in the future.
If you want to say things like “I will go,” “she will speak,” “we will buy,” or “they will see,” you will need the future tense.
At first, Irish future-tense verbs can look complicated because the form of the verb changes. The good news is that most regular verbs follow one of two main patterns.
In this guide, we’ll explain how an aimsir fháistineach works, how the two Irish verb conjugations differ, and how to use some of the most important irregular verbs.
If you’re building your understanding of Gaeilge more generally, you can also explore our complete Irish grammar guide.
What Is the Future Tense in Irish?
The future tense describes something that will happen.
For example:
- Ólfaidh mé tae. – I will drink tea.
- Brisfidh sé é. – He will break it.
- Ceannóidh sí carr. – She will buy a car.
- Rachaidh mé abhaile. – I will go home.
Unlike English, Irish does not normally create the future tense simply by putting a word equivalent to “will” before an unchanged verb.
Instead, the verb itself changes.
This is part of the wider Irish verb system. If you want to understand how verbs behave across the past, present and future tenses, read our guide to how to conjugate Irish verbs.
How to Form the Irish Future Tense
Regular Irish verbs are divided into two conjugations, known in Irish as:
- An Chéad Réimniú – the first conjugation
- An Dara Réimniú – the second conjugation
This distinction matters because the two conjugations use different future-tense endings.
A useful beginner’s guide is:
| Verb type | Broad | Slender |
|---|---|---|
| First conjugation | -faidh | -fidh |
| Second conjugation | -óidh | -eoidh |
One important point is that broad and slender do not decide which conjugation a verb belongs to.
Instead, you first need to know whether the verb belongs to the first or second conjugation. Broad and slender then help determine the appropriate form within that pattern.
First Conjugation Verbs in the Future Tense
Many first-conjugation verbs have one syllable, although there are exceptions.
Two useful examples are:
- mol – to praise
- bris – to break
Broad first-conjugation verbs: -faidh
For many broad first-conjugation verbs, the future tense uses -faidh.
For example:
mol → molfaidh
- Molfaidh mé. – I will praise.
- Molfaidh tú. – You will praise.
- Molfaidh sé. – He will praise.
- Molfaidh sí. – She will praise.
- Molfaimid. – We will praise.
- Molfaidh sibh. – You will praise.
- Molfaidh siad. – They will praise.
Another common example is:
ól → ólfaidh
Ólfaidh mé caife ar maidin.
I will drink coffee in the morning.
Slender first-conjugation verbs: -fidh
Many slender first-conjugation verbs use -fidh.
For example:
bris → brisfidh
- Brisfidh mé. – I will break.
- Brisfidh tú. – You will break.
- Brisfidh sé. – He will break.
- Brisfidh sí. – She will break.
- Brisfimid. – We will break.
- Brisfidh sibh. – You will break.
- Brisfidh siad. – They will break.
So two useful forms to remember are:
mol → molfaidh
bris → brisfidh
Second Conjugation Verbs in the Future Tense
Many second-conjugation verbs have more than one syllable.
These verbs can be a little more challenging because the stem of the verb may change before the future-tense ending appears.
Two useful examples are:
ceannaigh → ceannóidh
cruinnigh → cruinneoidh
Second-conjugation verbs with -óidh
Take ceannaigh, meaning “to buy.”
Its future form is:
ceannaigh → ceannóidh
For example:
- Ceannóidh mé. – I will buy.
- Ceannóidh tú. – You will buy.
- Ceannóidh sé. – He will buy.
- Ceannóidh sí. – She will buy.
- Ceannóimid. – We will buy.
- Ceannóidh sibh. – You will buy.
- Ceannóidh siad. – They will buy.
In a sentence:
Ceannóidh mé leabhar nua amárach.
I will buy a new book tomorrow.
Second-conjugation verbs with -eoidh
Take cruinnigh, meaning “to gather” or “to collect.”
Its future form is:
cruinnigh → cruinneoidh
For example:
Cruinneoidh siad na leabhair.
They will collect the books.
The first-person plural form is:
cruinneoimid – we will gather.
What Is the Future Tense of Labhair?
Labhair, meaning “to speak,” is a useful verb to learn because its future form can surprise beginners.
It belongs to the second conjugation.
Its future form is:
labhair → labhróidh
For example:
Labhróidh mé Gaeilge.
I will speak Irish.
Labhróidh sí leis amárach.
She will speak to him tomorrow.
Notice that we do not simply add -faidh to labhair. The stem changes, producing labhróidh.
This is why learning the conjugation of a verb is more reliable than trying to guess its future form from its final letters alone.
The “We” Form in the Irish Future Tense
Irish often has a special first-person plural form corresponding to “we.”
For example:
- molfaimid – we will praise
- brisfimid – we will break
- ceannóimid – we will buy
- cruinneoimid – we will gather
You will also hear analytical forms using muid in spoken Irish, with usage varying by dialect.
As you become more familiar with Irish, exposure to real sentences will make these different forms much easier to recognise.
Irregular Verbs in the Irish Future Tense
Not every Irish verb follows the regular patterns.
Irish has 11 irregular verbs, and because many of them are among the most frequently used verbs in the language, they are worth learning early.
Here are some important future forms:
| Verb | Meaning | Future form |
|---|---|---|
| abair | say | déarfaidh |
| bí | be | beidh |
| déan | do/make | déanfaidh |
| faigh | get | gheobhaidh |
| feic | see | feicfidh |
| ith | eat | íosfaidh |
| tabhair | give | tabharfaidh |
| tar | come | tiocfaidh |
| téigh | go | rachaidh |
You can learn these in more detail in our dedicated guide to Irish irregular verbs.
Examples of irregular verbs in the future tense
Beidh mé sa bhaile amárach.
I will be at home tomorrow.
Rachaidh mé go Gaillimh.
I will go to Galway.
Tiocfaidh sé níos déanaí.
He will come later.
Feicfidh mé thú amárach.
I will see you tomorrow.
Déanfaidh mé é níos déanaí.
I will do it later.
Gheobhaidh sí an litir.
She will get the letter.
Déarfaidh mé an fhírinne.
I will tell the truth.
Useful Irish Future Tense Sentences
Learning complete sentences can make the future tense much easier to remember than studying verb endings on their own.
Here are some examples you can practise:
Beidh mé ann amárach.
I will be there tomorrow.
Rachaidh mé abhaile níos déanaí.
I will go home later.
Ceannóidh mé bia.
I will buy food.
Ólfaidh mé cupán tae.
I will drink a cup of tea.
Labhróidh mé Gaeilge gach lá.
I will speak Irish every day.
Feicfidh mé mo chairde ag an deireadh seachtaine.
I will see my friends at the weekend.
Déanfaidh mé an obair amárach.
I will do the work tomorrow.
Tiocfaidh sí anocht.
She will come tonight.
If you are still building the vocabulary you need to create sentences like these, our guide to learning Irish words is a useful place to continue.
Useful Future-Time Words in Irish
Future-tense sentences often include words or phrases telling us when something will happen.
Some useful examples include:
- amárach – tomorrow
- anocht – tonight
- níos déanaí – later
- go luath – soon
- an tseachtain seo chugainn – next week
- an bhliain seo chugainn – next year
- ag an deireadh seachtaine – at the weekend
For example:
Rachaidh mé go Corcaigh an tseachtain seo chugainn.
I will go to Cork next week.
Feicfidh mé í amárach.
I will see her tomorrow.
A Simple Way to Remember the Irish Future Tense
When dealing with a regular verb, start with two questions.
1. Is it first or second conjugation?
First-conjugation verbs use future forms based around:
-faidh / -fidh
Second-conjugation verbs use future forms based around:
-óidh / -eoidh
2. Is the relevant part of the verb broad or slender?
The broad vowels are:
a, o, u
The slender vowels are:
e, i
Compare:
mol → molfaidh
bris → brisfidh
and:
ceannaigh → ceannóidh
cruinnigh → cruinneoidh
The number of syllables can give you a useful clue about a verb’s conjugation, but it is not an absolute rule.
If you are unsure about the form of a particular Irish verb, our guide to using an Irish dictionary and checking verb forms explains how to check words using reliable Irish-language resources.
Common Irish Future Tense Mistakes
Mixing up the two conjugations
One common mistake is treating -faidh/-fidh and -óidh/-eoidh as though the choice simply depends on whether a verb looks broad or slender.
It doesn’t.
Remember:
First conjugation: -faidh / -fidh
Second conjugation: -óidh / -eoidh
You first need to identify the conjugation.
Assuming every one-syllable or multi-syllable verb follows the basic pattern
Thinking of first-conjugation verbs as generally shorter and second-conjugation verbs as generally longer can be helpful when you are starting out.
But there are exceptions, so do not treat syllable count as a perfect rule.
Applying regular rules to irregular verbs
Forms such as:
beidh, rachaidh, tiocfaidh and gheobhaidh
need to be learned individually.
Fortunately, they appear so frequently in Irish that you will encounter them again and again.
How to Practise An Aimsir Fháistineach
One of the easiest ways to become comfortable with the future tense is to use it to describe your actual plans.
Try answering:
Cad a dhéanfaidh tú amárach?
What will you do tomorrow?
You can then build simple answers:
Rachaidh mé ag obair.
I will go to work.
Feicfidh mé mo chairde.
I will see my friends.
Déanfaidh mé dinnéar.
I will make dinner.
Labhróidh mé Gaeilge.
I will speak Irish.
Rather than memorising every possible conjugation at once, start with verbs you actually use and practise putting them into complete sentences.
If you’re at the beginning of your Gaeilge journey, you can also explore our free Irish learning resources covering grammar, phrases, vocabulary and pronunciation.
Irish Future Tense Quick Reference
Here’s the basic pattern again:
| Type | Verb | Future |
|---|---|---|
| First conjugation, broad | mol | molfaidh |
| First conjugation, slender | bris | brisfidh |
| Second conjugation | ceannaigh | ceannóidh |
| Second conjugation | cruinnigh | cruinneoidh |
| Second conjugation | labhair | labhróidh |
| Irregular | bí | beidh |
| Irregular | téigh | rachaidh |
| Irregular | tar | tiocfaidh |
| Irregular | faigh | gheobhaidh |
| Irregular | feic | feicfidh |
Once you recognise these patterns, an aimsir fháistineach becomes much easier to understand.
Start with common forms such as:
beidh mé – I will be
rachaidh mé – I will go
déanfaidh mé – I will do
ceannóidh mé – I will buy
feicfidh mé – I will see
Then gradually build them into longer sentences.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Irish Future Tense
What is the future tense called in Irish?
The future tense is called an aimsir fháistineach.
How do you form the future tense in Irish?
Regular Irish verbs belong to two main conjugations.
First-conjugation verbs use future forms ending in -faidh or -fidh, while second-conjugation verbs use forms ending in -óidh or -eoidh.
The verb stem can also change.
What is the future tense of bris?
The future tense of bris is brisfidh.
For example:
Brisfidh sé é. – He will break it.
What is the future tense of labhair?
The future tense of labhair is labhróidh.
For example:
Labhróidh mé Gaeilge. – I will speak Irish.
What is the future tense of téigh?
Téigh is irregular.
Its future form is rachaidh.
Rachaidh mé. means “I will go.”
What is the future tense of bí?
The future form of bí is beidh.
Beidh mé ann. means “I will be there.”
Keep Learning Irish
The future tense is only one part of Irish grammar. Once you’re comfortable with these forms, continue through our Irish grammar guides to learn more about verb conjugation, sentence structure and other important features of Gaeilge.
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