German for Beginners: Say Your Weekend Plans with Future Forms
Learn to talk about your own upcoming weekend activities in German using werden + infinitive and the present tense for future meaning.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In this lesson, you will learn how to say what you are going to do this weekend in German. Unlike making plans with others, this focuses on your own schedule. You will use two common future forms: the present tense with a future time word (e.g., 'Ich wandere am Samstag') and the future tense with 'werden' (e.g., 'Ich werde wandern'). You will also learn vocabulary for hiking and relaxing at home. By the end, you can confidently state your weekend plans without inviting anyone.
By the end, you can…
- say what I am going to do this weekend using the present tense with a future time expression.
- use 'werden' + infinitive to talk about future activities.
- name at least three weekend activities in German, including hiking and relaxing at home.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ich wandere am Samstag.
I'm going hiking on Saturday.
ikh VAN-duh-ruh ahm ZAHMS-tahk
Use the present tense with a future time word (am Samstag) to talk about a planned activity. Common in everyday speech.
Ich werde am Wochenende wandern.
I will go hiking on the weekend.
ikh VEHR-duh ahm VOKH-uhn-en-duh VAN-duhn
The future tense with 'werden' + infinitive. Slightly more formal or emphatic than the present tense.
Ich entspanne mich zu Hause.
I'm relaxing at home.
ikh ent-SHPAH-nuh mikh tsoo HOW-zuh
Present tense for a planned relaxing activity. 'Zu Hause' means at home.
Ich werde zu Hause bleiben und mich entspannen.
I will stay at home and relax.
ikh VEHR-duh tsoo HOW-zuh BLY-buhn unt mikh ent-SHPAH-nuhn
Future tense with two infinitives at the end. Useful for combining activities.
Am Sonntag habe ich nichts vor.
On Sunday I have nothing planned.
ahm ZON-tahk HAH-buh ikh nikhts fohr
Idiomatic way to say you have no plans. Literally: 'I have nothing before (me).'
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To talk about your own future plans, you can use the present tense with a future time expression like 'am Samstag' or 'am Wochenende'. For example: 'Ich wandere am Samstag.' (I'm going hiking on Saturday.) This is the most common way in spoken German. Alternatively, use 'werden' + infinitive: 'Ich werde wandern.' The verb 'werden' is conjugated: ich werde, du wirst, er/sie/es wird, wir werden, ihr werdet, sie/Sie werden. The infinitive goes at the end of the sentence. For separable verbs like 'einkaufen', the infinitive stays together as one word: 'Ich werde einkaufen.'
When to use it
Use the present tense with a time word when the plan is already set or likely. For example: 'Ich besuche meine Eltern am Sonntag.' (I'm visiting my parents on Sunday.) Use 'werden' + infinitive when you want to emphasize the future, make a prediction, or in more formal writing. For example: 'Ich werde nächstes Jahr nach Deutschland reisen.' (I will travel to Germany next year.) In everyday conversation, the present tense is more natural for near-future plans. Note: In German, you do not use 'werden' for immediate future as often as English uses 'will'. The present tense is often enough.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Was machst du am Wochenende?
What are you doing on the weekend?vahs MAKHST doo ahm VOKH-uhn-en-duhIch wandere am Samstag. Und ich werde am Sonntag zu Hause bleiben.
I'm going hiking on Saturday. And I will stay at home on Sunday.ikh VAN-duh-ruh ahm ZAHMS-tahk. unt ikh VEHR-duh ahm ZON-tahk tsoo HOW-zuh BLY-buhnKlingt gut. Ich entspanne mich auch zu Hause.
Sounds good. I'm relaxing at home too.klingt goot. ikh ent-SHPAH-nuh mikh owkh tsoo HOW-zuhSchön. Dann viel Spaß!
Nice. Then have fun!shurn. dahn feel shpahsA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, weekend plans are often discussed on Thursday or Friday. Using the present tense for future plans is very common and not considered incorrect. The future tense with 'werden' can sound more formal or emphatic. When talking about hiking, 'wandern' is a popular activity, but it usually means a longer walk in nature, not just a stroll. 'Spazieren gehen' is a shorter walk. Also, 'zu Hause' means at home, while 'nach Hause' means (to) home. Regional differences: In Austria and Switzerland, 'am Wochenende' is standard, but in Swiss German, you might hear 'am Wuchenänd'.
One thing to watch for
Using 'werden' for all future plans, e.g., 'Ich werde am Samstag wandern' when you mean a simple plan.
Try this instead: In everyday German, the present tense with a time word is more natural: 'Ich wandere am Samstag.' Use 'werden' when you want to emphasize the future or in formal contexts. Both are correct, but the present tense is preferred for near-future plans.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I'm going hiking on Sunday' using the present tense?
Show a sample answer
Ich wandere am Sonntag.
This uses the present tense 'wandere' with the future time expression 'am Sonntag'. It is the most common way to express a near-future plan.
2Translate: 'I will relax at home.' Use the future tense with 'werden'.
Show a sample answer
Ich werde mich zu Hause entspannen.
This uses 'werde' + reflexive 'mich' + 'entspannen' at the end. The reflexive verb 'sich entspannen' requires the reflexive pronoun. Alternative: 'Ich werde zu Hause entspannen' is less common but understandable.
3What is the difference between 'Ich wandere am Samstag' and 'Ich werde am Samstag wandern'?
Show a sample answer
The first uses present tense for a planned activity; the second uses future tense with 'werden' for emphasis or formality.
Both mean roughly the same, but the present tense is more common in spoken German for near-future plans. The future tense can sound more formal or deliberate.
For your own weekend plans, use the present tense with a time word (e.g., 'Ich wandere am Samstag') as your default. Use 'werden' + infinitive when you want to emphasize the future or in formal situations. Remember: 'zu Hause' = at home, 'nach Hause' = (to) home.
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