Future Perfect: "I will have finished" (Terei feito)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use the Future Perfect to talk about an action that will be completed before a specific point in the future.
- Use 'ter' in the future simple + past participle: 'Eu terei terminado'.
- The past participle usually ends in -ado (ar) or -ido (er/ir).
- It expresses certainty about a future completion: 'Até lá, eu terei chegado'.
Overview
The Portuguese Future Perfect, known formally as Futuro do Presente Composto (or Futuro Composto), serves a distinct purpose in advanced temporal expressions: it articulates an action that will be completed before a specific point in the future. This tense does not describe an action happening at a future time, but rather an action that, when a future reference point is reached, will already belong to the past. It is a prospective past tense, allowing speakers to project forward in time and look back at a completed event.
Mastering it is crucial for B2 learners to discuss complex timelines, set future goals with clear completion markers, and make inferences about past events from a projected future standpoint.
For instance, if you say, "Eu terei terminado o projeto até sexta-feira.", you are asserting that the project's completion will precede Friday. The emphasis is on the state of completion relative to a future deadline. This construction reflects a nuanced understanding of chronology, enabling precise communication about future eventualities that hinge on prior actions.
Conjugation Table
| Subject | Ter (Future Simple) |
Main Verb (Past Participle) | Example (estudar) | Translation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :-------------- | :-------------------- | :-------------------------- | :---------------------- | :------------------------ | ||
| Eu | terei | -ado / -ido | terei estudado | I will have studied | ||
| Tu (EP only) | terás | -ado / -ido | terás estudado | You will have studied | ||
| Você/Ele/Ela | terá | -ado / -ido | terá estudado | You/He/She will have studied | ||
| Nós | teremos | -ado / -ido | teremos estudado | We will have studied | ||
| Vós (EP only) | tereis | -ado / -ido | tereis estudado | You (pl.) will have studied | ||
| Vocês/Eles/Elas | terão | -ado / -ido | terão estudado | You/They will have studied |
How This Grammar Works
(A), a future point is (C), and the action described by the Future Perfect occurs at (B), which is before (C) but after (A). The speaker positions themselves at (C) and looks back at (B)."Quando você chegar, eu já terei saído.". Here, chegar marks the future reference point (C). The action terei saído (B) will be completed before você chegar.sair is viewed retrospectively from the moment of chegar. This temporal relationship is critical. Without a clear future reference, the Future Perfect often loses its precise meaning or implies a strong assumption."Em 2030, a empresa terá lançado dez novos produtos." implies that by the year 2030, the cumulative action of launching ten products will be a completed fact, a historical achievement for that future moment. This provides a robust tool for describing future accomplishments, milestones, or even potential future regrets.Formation Pattern
ter (to have) and the past participle of the main verb. However, within Brazilian Portuguese, a more colloquial, three-part alternative is widely used and essential for B2 learners to recognize and employ in informal contexts. European Portuguese primarily uses the two-part structure, occasionally haver.
ter followed by the invariant past participle.
Ter (Future Simple) + Particípio Passado (main verb)
Eu terei visitado (I will have visited)
Ela terá lido (She will have read)
Nós teremos feito (We will have done)
"Até o final do ano, a construção terá sido concluída." (By the end of the year, the construction will have been concluded.) The auxiliary ter carries the tense and mood, while the participle conveys the lexical meaning of the action.
ir, the infinitive ter, and the past participle. While grammatically distinct, its semantic function is identical to the formal Future Perfect.
Ir (Present Indicative) + Ter (Infinitive) + Particípio Passado (main verb)
Ir (Present) | Ter (Infinitive) | Main Verb (Past Participle) | Example (estudar) | Translation |
"Não se preocupe, eu vou ter resolvido tudo antes que você chegue." (Don't worry, I'm going to have resolved everything before you arrive.) This form feels more natural and less formal in casual Brazilian interactions. Learners aiming for fluency in BP should prioritize understanding and using this structure in appropriate contexts.
Haver: In European Portuguese, the verb haver can occasionally function as an auxiliary for compound tenses, including the Future Perfect (haverei feito). However, ter is far more prevalent and universally understood across both Portuguese variants.
When To Use It
- With Time Expressions: Use adverbs or phrases denoting a future time or deadline, such as
até(by/until),quando(when),assim que(as soon as),depois que(after),antes que(before). Até amanhã, eles terão assinado o contrato.(By tomorrow, they will have signed the contract.) The signing will be a completed fact by tomorrow.Quando o chefe voltar, já teremos enviado o relatório.(When the boss returns, we will have already sent the report.) The report sending will be finished prior to the boss's return.
"He must have..." or "He probably has..." in English.Ele terá esquecido a chave em casa?(Will he have forgotten the key at home? / Do you think he forgot the key at home?) Here, the future perfectterá esquecidoisn't about a future event, but a present inference about a past event. The speaker is mentally projecting to a point where the 'forgetting' would be confirmed or evident.A essa hora, eles já terão chegado ao aeroporto.(By this time, they will have already arrived at the airport.) This expresses a strong assumption about a past completion, viewed from the present. It implies"I assume they have already arrived."
Dentro de cinco anos, terei construído minha casa.(Within five years, I will have built my house.) The emphasis is on the existence of the built house at the five-year mark.
Até minha formatura, terei aprendido três idiomas.(By my graduation, I will have learned three languages.) This clearly states a goal with a completion deadline.
Common Mistakes
Eu farei) indicates an action that will occur at a future time. The Future Perfect (Eu terei feito) signifies an action that will be finished by a future time.- Incorrect:
"Até às 18h, eu terminarei o trabalho."(By 6 PM, I will finish the work.) This implies you will start or be in the process of finishing at 6 PM. - Correct:
"Até às 18h, eu terei terminado o trabalho."(By 6 PM, I will have finished the work.) This correctly conveys that the work will be complete before or at 6 PM.
Ter:avoir/avere in specific cases), in Portuguese, when ter is the auxiliary verb in compound tenses, the past participle never agrees in gender or number with the subject or direct object. It remains in its masculine singular form.- Incorrect:
"As meninas terão chegado cansadas."(The girls will have arrived tired – with participle agreeing.) - Correct:
"As meninas terão chegado cansado."(The girls will have arrived tired – participlechegadoremains masculine singular.) - Incorrect:
"Eu terei fazido a tarefa."(fazidois not a valid participle) - Correct:
"Eu terei feito a tarefa."(feitois the correct irregular participle offazer).
terei) in Informal Contexts (especially BP):terei) in highly casual Brazilian Portuguese conversations can sound overly formal, even archaic. It might give the impression of a stiff or unnatural speaker.- Considered Stiff in BP Casual Speech:
"A gente terá saído antes da festa." - More Natural in BP Casual Speech:
"A gente vai ter saído antes da festa."
ter.- Incorrect (missing auxiliary):
"Eu estudarei tudo antes do exame."(Simple future, lacks the nuance of completion by a future point). - Correct:
"Eu terei estudado tudo antes do exame." - Incorrect (infinitive):
"Eles terão ver o filme." - Correct:
"Eles terão visto o filme."(vistois the irregular participle ofver).
abrir -> aberto, dizer -> dito, fazer -> feito, escrever -> escrito, pôr -> posto, ver -> visto). Failure to use the correct irregular form is a common mistake.Contrast With Similar Patterns
- Simple Future (
viajarei,farei): Indicates an action that will take place at some point in the future. It states a future intention or prediction without emphasizing prior completion. Eu viajarei em maio.(I will travel in May.) — The act of traveling happens in May.Nós faremos o jantar depois.(We will make dinner later.) — The dinner-making will occur later.- Future Perfect (
terei viajado,terei feito): Indicates an action that will be completed before a specific future point. The focus is on the state of completion. Em maio, eu já terei viajado.(In May, I will have already traveled.) — The traveling will be concluded by May.Até as dez, já teremos feito o jantar.(By ten, we will have already made dinner.) — The dinner will be fully prepared by ten.
- Conditional Perfect (
teria viajado,teria feito): Expresses a hypothetical or unrealized action in the past. It describes what would have happened under different circumstances, often implying regret or missed opportunity. Eu teria viajado se tivesse dinheiro.(I would have traveled if I had had money.) — The traveling did not happen.Ele teria me ligado se soubesse.(He would have called me if he had known.) — He did not call.- Future Perfect (
terei viajado,terei feito): Expresses a certain completion before a future point. It describes a future reality, not a hypothetical past. Até o próximo ano, terei viajado para a Europa.(By next year, I will have traveled to Europe.) — This is a firm prediction or goal.Quando ele voltar, já terei ligado para ele.(When he returns, I will have already called him.) — This is a definite future sequence of events.
- Pluperfect (
tinha viajado,tinha feito): Describes an action completed before another past action. The reference point is in the past. Quando cheguei, ele já tinha viajado.(When I arrived, he had already traveled.) — Both actions are in the past, the traveling occurring first.Nós tínhamos terminado o trabalho antes que a chuva começasse.(We had finished the work before the rain started.) — Work finished before a past event.- Future Perfect (
terei viajado,terei feito): Describes an action completed before a future action. The reference point is in the future. Quando você chegar, ele já terá viajado.(When you arrive, he will have already traveled.) — Traveling will be complete before a future arrival.Teremos terminado o trabalho antes que a chuva comece.(We will have finished the work before the rain starts.) — Work will be finished before a future event.
Real Conversations
Observing the Future Perfect in authentic contexts reveals its utility in diverse registers, from casual planning among friends to more formal project updates.
1. Setting Future Deadlines / Goals (Formal & Informal):
- Work Email: "Prezados, até o fim do dia, todos os relatórios financeiros terão sido processados." (Dear all, by the end of the day, all financial reports will have been processed.) — Formal, emphasizing a completed task.
- Team Meeting (BP): "Não se preocupem, a gente vai ter resolvido essa questão da logística antes da reunião com o cliente." (Don't worry, we're going to have resolved this logistics issue before the client meeting.) — Colloquial, reassuring.
- Personal Goal: "Ano que vem, terei corrido uma maratona." (Next year, I will have run a marathon.) — A personal achievement by a future point.
2. Making Assumptions / Inferences (Common in BP):
- Text Message (BP): "O João não chegou? Ele vai ter pego o trânsito pesado." (João hasn't arrived? He must have hit heavy traffic.) — A present inference about a past cause.
- Casual Conversation (EP): "A esta hora, já terão terminado o filme." (By this time, they will have already finished the movie.) — A likely assumption about a current state based on past action.
3. Planning and Coordination:
- "Quando você ligar de volta, já teremos decidido a data da viagem." (When you call back, we will have already decided the trip date.) — Coordinating future actions.
- "Se não terminarmos hoje, amanhã de manhã teremos perdido muito tempo." (If we don't finish today, by tomorrow morning we will have lost a lot of time.) — Expressing a future negative consequence.
These examples underscore how the Future Perfect allows speakers to frame future events with a backward-looking perspective, whether to confirm an outcome, speculate on a cause, or establish a definitive timeline for completion. The choice between formal terei and informal vou ter depends entirely on the context and relationship with the interlocutor.
Progressive Practice
Mastering the Future Perfect requires consistent and varied practice. Focus on exercises that encourage you to conceptualize future completion and apply both formal and informal constructions correctly.
- Transform Sentences: Take sentences in the Simple Future and rewrite them using the Future Perfect, introducing a future time marker (até, quando, etc.). Example: "Eu escreverei o artigo." -> "Até o final da semana, eu terei escrito o artigo."
- Complete the Scenario: Provide a future scenario and ask yourself what actions will have been completed by that time. Focus on diverse verbs, especially those with irregular participles. Example: "Você tem um exame na próxima semana. O que você vai ter feito até lá?" (Answer: "Eu vou ter revisado todas as matérias." )
- Role-Playing: Engage in dialogues where you need to coordinate future events, set deadlines, or make assumptions about what will have happened. Practice using both formal (terei) and informal (vou ter) auxiliary forms depending on the role and context.
- Identify Correct Usage: Analyze texts or dialogues, identifying instances of the Future Perfect and explaining why it was used instead of the Simple Future or another tense. Pay attention to the explicit or implied future reference point.
- Self-Correction with Feedback: Record yourself speaking or write short paragraphs. Then, review your work, specifically checking for correct Future Perfect usage and participle forms. Seek feedback from native speakers or instructors.
Quick FAQ
haver ever used instead of ter for the Future Perfect?While grammatically possible (haverei feito), particularly in more traditional or literary European Portuguese, ter (terei feito) is overwhelmingly the preferred and more natural auxiliary verb across all variants of Portuguese for forming the Future Perfect. Stick with ter for everyday communication.
ter is the auxiliary?No. When ter functions as the auxiliary verb in compound tenses, the past participle always remains in its invariable masculine singular form. This is a fundamental rule in Portuguese. For example, "Ela terá lido o livro" (not lida), and "Eles terão feito a tarefa" (not feitas). This contrasts with some other Romance languages, so be mindful not to transfer those rules.
vou ter feito form in Brazilian Portuguese?In spoken, informal Brazilian Portuguese, the vou ter feito construction is very common and natural. However, for formal writing, academic contexts, or interactions requiring a higher degree of formality (e.g., business emails, official documents), the standard terei feito form is generally expected and more appropriate. Choose your auxiliary based on the register and audience.
Eu terei feito and Eu farei?The crucial distinction lies in the aspect of completion. Eu farei (Simple Future) means "I will do/make" at some point in the future. Eu terei feito (Future Perfect) means "I will have done/made" by a specific future time, emphasizing that the action will be completed before or at that future point. The Future Perfect explicitly points to a state of prior accomplishment relative to a future moment. "Eu farei o jantar às 20h" means you'll cook at 8 PM. "Até às 20h, eu terei feito o jantar" means dinner will be ready by 8 PM.
While both refer to future events, the Future Perfect expresses a certainty of completion relative to a future point, or a strong inference. The Future Subjunctive (Quando eu fizer) expresses a condition or contingency for a future event. For instance, "Quando eu tiver terminado o relatório, irei para casa." (Future Perfect, certainty of completion) vs. "Quando eu terminar o relatório, irei para casa." (Future Subjunctive, contingency – if I finish it). The Future Perfect implies a higher degree of assurance regarding the completion of the action by the specified future time.
Conjugation of 'Ter' (Future Simple)
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
|
Eu
|
terei
|
|
Tu
|
terás
|
|
Ele/Ela/Você
|
terá
|
|
Nós
|
teremos
|
|
Vós
|
tereis
|
|
Eles/Elas/Vocês
|
terão
|
Meanings
The Future Perfect is used to describe an action that will be finished before another action or time in the future.
Future completion
Action completed before a future reference point.
“Até o final do mês, terei pago a conta.”
“Quando você chegar, eu já terei saído.”
Probability in the past
Speculation about an action that happened in the past.
“Onde está o João? Ele terá esquecido a chave.”
“Terão eles perdido o voo?”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
terei + part.
|
Eu terei feito.
|
|
Negative
|
não + terei + part.
|
Eu não terei feito.
|
|
Question
|
terei + subj + part.?
|
Terei eu feito?
|
|
Irregular
|
terei + feito
|
Eu terei feito.
|
|
Regular
|
terei + falado
|
Eu terei falado.
|
Formality Spectrum
Eu terei concluído. (Work deadline)
Eu terei terminado. (Work deadline)
Já vou ter terminado. (Work deadline)
Vou ter acabado já. (Work deadline)
Future Perfect Timeline
Future
- Terei feito I will have done
Examples by Level
Eu terei terminado.
I will have finished.
Nós teremos comido.
We will have eaten.
Você terá feito.
You will have done.
Eles terão saído.
They will have left.
Até amanhã, eu terei lido.
By tomorrow, I will have read.
Não terei chegado cedo.
I will not have arrived early.
Terás tu estudado?
Will you have studied?
Ela terá comprado o pão.
She will have bought the bread.
Se eu sair, terei terminado.
If I leave, I will have finished.
Eles terão escrito o relatório.
They will have written the report.
Teremos nós visto tudo?
Will we have seen everything?
Até lá, ele terá resolvido.
By then, he will have solved it.
Onde está ele? Terá perdido o comboio.
Where is he? He must have missed the train.
Até o final do ano, teremos viajado.
By the end of the year, we will have traveled.
Não terão eles avisado?
Won't they have warned?
Ela terá chegado a casa.
She must have arrived home.
Tendo em conta o prazo, terei concluído a tese.
Given the deadline, I will have completed the thesis.
Terão os cientistas descoberto a cura?
Will the scientists have discovered the cure?
Até que a lei mude, teremos sofrido.
Until the law changes, we will have suffered.
Ele terá agido por impulso.
He must have acted on impulse.
Terá sido esta a decisão correta?
Will this have been the right decision?
Até ao ocaso, teremos vivido intensamente.
By sunset, we will have lived intensely.
Terão eles compreendido a magnitude?
Will they have understood the magnitude?
Ela terá, porventura, mudado de opinião.
She may have changed her mind.
Easily Confused
Confusing the action with the completion.
Common Mistakes
Eu terei fazido
Eu terei feito
Eu vou ter feito
Eu terei feito
Terei eu feito?
Terá feito?
Teria feito
Terei feito
Sentence Patterns
Até ___, eu terei ___.
Real World Usage
Até sexta, terei enviado o relatório.
Já terei chegado quando você sair.
Use 'Até'
Smart Tips
Use 'até' with the future perfect.
Pronunciation
Stress
The stress in 'terei' is on the last syllable.
Rising
Terás feito? ↑
Questioning intonation
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Terei, terás, terá... add the participle and you're there!
Visual Association
Imagine a calendar with a big red 'X' on a future date. You are standing before the 'X' holding a finished project.
Rhyme
Terei feito, terei lido, o futuro está decidido.
Story
Maria looks at her calendar. She marks Friday. By Friday, she will have finished her report. She will have sent the email. She will have slept well.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 things you will have done by next Sunday.
Cultural Notes
Used frequently for speculation about the past.
Often replaced by 'vou ter terminado' in speech.
Formal usage follows European patterns.
Derived from Latin 'habere' + past participle.
Conversation Starters
O que você terá feito até o fim do dia?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Eu ___ (terminar) o projeto até amanhã.
Score: /1
Practice Exercises
1 exercisesEu ___ (terminar) o projeto até amanhã.
Score: /1
Practice Bank
12 exercisesDaqui a pouco, nós ___ (terminar).
Match correctly:
chegado / ela / terá / Antes / você / de / sair
Translate to Portuguese (Formal)
When would you say 'Eu terei economizado 1000 reais'?
Nós teremos escrevido a carta.
A loja já ___ (abrir) quando chegarmos.
Which sentence expresses doubt about a past event?
Translate:
ter / vai / comido / Ele / tudo
Daqui a 10 anos, a tecnologia ___ (mudar) muito.
Elas terão chegadas cedo.
Score: /12
FAQ (1)
No, 'ter' is standard.
Scaffolded Practice
1
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Habré hecho
None.
J'aurai fait
Auxiliary verb choice.
Futur II
Word order.
〜てしまうだろう
Grammar structure.
سأكون قد فعلت
Particle usage.
将已经做完
No conjugation.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
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Continue With
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