Japanese Time Markers for the Future: ashita, raishū, mōsugu
Learn to talk about the future in Japanese using time words like ashita (tomorrow), raishū (next week), and mōsugu (soon), with natural example sentences and a short dialogue.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Japanese, you often do not need a special future tense to talk about tomorrow or next week. The verb stays in its usual polite or plain form, and a time word such as ashita (tomorrow), raishū (next week), or mōsugu (soon) makes the future meaning clear. This lesson teaches those three time markers and shows how to use them in natural sentences like Raishū aimashō. (Let's meet next week.) You will also learn where time words usually appear in a sentence and how to avoid common mistakes with particles and verb forms.
By the end, you can…
- use ashita, raishū, and mōsugu in simple future sentences.
- understand and produce a short invitation or plan using a time marker.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
明日、会いましょう。
Let's meet tomorrow.
ASHITA, aimashō.
Ashita means tomorrow. Aimashō is the volitional polite form of au (to meet), used for suggestions.
来週、また来ます。
I will come again next week.
RAISHŪ, mata kimasu.
Raishū means next week. Mata means again. Kimasu is the polite non-past form of kuru (to come).
もうすぐ春です。
It will be spring soon. / Spring is soon.
MŌSUGU haru desu.
Mōsugu means soon or before long. Desu is the polite copula; Japanese does not change desu for future meaning.
明日は忙しいです。
I am busy tomorrow. / Tomorrow will be busy.
ASHITA wa isogashii desu.
Wa marks ashita as the topic. Isogashii is an i-adjective meaning busy; context makes it future.
来週の金曜日に映画を見ます。
I will watch a movie next Friday.
RAISHŪ no kin'yōbi ni eiga o mimasu.
Raishū no kin'yōbi means next Friday. Ni marks the specific time. Mimasu is the polite non-past form of miru (to watch).
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
A simple future sentence often follows this order: time word + topic or subject + object + verb. For example, Ashita, tegami o kakimasu. (Tomorrow, I will write a letter.) Raishū, Tōkyō ni ikimasu. (Next week, I will go to Tokyo.) Mōsugu, eiga ga hajimarimasu. (Soon, the movie will start.) The verb does not change to a future form. Kakimasu, ikimasu, and hajimarimasu are non-past polite forms. They can refer to present habits or future actions; the time word tells the listener which meaning you intend.
When to use it
Use ashita for the next day, raishū for the next week, and mōsugu for something expected very soon. Ashita and raishū are specific and often appear at the start of a sentence, followed by a comma in writing. Mōsugu is vaguer and often describes natural or scheduled events: Mōsugu ame ga furimasu. (It will rain soon.) For a specific day next week, say raishū no [day] ni, as in Raishū no getsuyōbi ni denwa shimasu. (I will call next Monday.) If you simply mean next week, raishū alone is enough: Raishū aimashō. (Let's meet next week.)
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
明日、時間がありますか。
Do you have time tomorrow?ASHITA, jikan ga arimasu ka.明日はちょっと忙しいです。来週はどうですか。
Tomorrow is a little busy. How about next week?ASHITA wa chotto isogashii desu. RAISHŪ wa dō desu ka.いいですね。来週の水曜日はどうですか。
That sounds good. How about next Wednesday?Ii desu ne. RAISHŪ no suiyōbi wa dō desu ka.大丈夫です。じゃあ、来週会いましょう。
That works. Then let's meet next week.Daijōbu desu. Jā, RAISHŪ aimashō.A little context goes a long way
Japanese often prefers a clear time marker over a grammatical future tense. In polite conversation, adding a specific time such as ashita or raishū no suiyōbi makes a plan sound considerate and concrete. Mōsugu is common in weather reports and announcements, but for appointments it can sound too vague, so choose a specific day or time when possible.
One thing to watch for
Using a special future verb form, as in Ashita aimashita.
Try this instead: Japanese verbs do not have a separate future tense. Use the non-past form with a time word: Ashita aimasu. (I will meet tomorrow.) Aimashita is past tense and means met.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'Let's meet next week' in polite Japanese?
Show a sample answer
来週、会いましょう。 (Raishū, aimashō.)
Raishū marks next week, and aimashō is the polite volitional form used for suggestions. Raishū, aimasu ka is also possible if you are asking a question rather than suggesting.
2Which time word means 'soon' and fits this sentence: ___ ame ga furimasu. (It will rain soon.)
Show a sample answer
もうすぐ (mōsugu)
Mōsugu means soon and commonly describes expected natural events. Ashita would mean tomorrow, which is also grammatical but changes the meaning.
3Correct this sentence: 明日は忙しいでした。 (Ashita wa isogashii deshita.)
Show a sample answer
明日は忙しいです。 (Ashita wa isogashii desu.)
Isogashii is an i-adjective, so its polite non-past form is isogashii desu, not isogashii deshita. Deshita is past tense. For a past busy day, you could say Ashita wa isogashikatta desu, but that would no longer be future.
To talk about the future in Japanese, keep the verb in its non-past form and add a clear time marker such as ashita, raishū, or mōsugu.
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