B2 (Upper Intermediate)Lesson 2: Compound Tenses & Aspect
The future perfect expresses actions that will have been completed by a specific point in the future, using the future tense of "ter" plus a past participle (terei falado = I will have spoken).
Formed with ter in future tense + past participle
Future of ter: terei, terá, teremos, terão
Regular participles: -AR → -ado, -ER/-IR → -ido
Irregular participles must be memorized (feito, dito, visto, etc.)
Expresses completion before a future point
Often paired with time markers: "até", "quando", "antes que"
More common in writing than speech (speech prefers "já + past")
Never changes participle for gender/number (always masculine singular)
The future perfect is your time-travel telescope – it lets you look back from a future point to see what will already be done! While Brazilians often dodge it in casual speech (preferring "já vai ter terminado" over "terá terminado"), it's essential for formal writing, business deadlines, and academic work. You'll encounter it in contracts ("teremos entregado até sexta"), news reports ("o governo terá implementado as mudanças"), and any situation where precision about future completion matters – think project timelines, travel planning, or making promises about what you'll have accomplished.
future of ter (terei, terá, teremos, terão) + past participle (-ado for -AR, -ido for -ER/-IR)
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The future perfect combines two elements: the future tense of "ter" (to have) with a past participle. Think of it as saying "I will have [done something]" in English.
| Pronoun | Future of TER | Example with "falado" |
|---|---|---|
| eu | terei | terei falado |
| tu | terás | terás falado |
| você | terá | terá falado |
| ele/ela | terá | terá falado |
| nós | teremos | teremos falado |
| a gente | terá | terá falado |
"Terei terminado o projeto antes do prazo" (I will have finished the project before the deadline)
"Até o final do mês, teremos fechado três contratos" (By month's end, we'll have closed three contracts)
"Quando o chefe voltar, já teremos resolvido tudo" (When the boss returns, we'll have solved everything)
"A equipe terá entregado os resultados até quarta" (The team will have delivered the results by Wednesday)
"Terei lido todos os capítulos antes da prova" (I will have read all chapters before the test)
"Até a formatura, teremos estudado por cinco anos" (By graduation, we'll have studied for five years)
"Quando começar o mestrado, já terei publicado dois artigos" (When I start my master's, I'll have already published two articles)
Unlike French or Italian, Portuguese participles with "ter" NEVER change:
❌ "As cartas? Terei escritas amanhã"
✅ "As cartas? Terei escrito amanhã"
The participle stays masculine singular ALWAYS with "ter"
Remember: with "ter" use the REGULAR form (usually):
❌ "Terei aceito o convite" (using irregular with ter)
✅ "Terei aceitado o convite"
Exception: "imprimir" → both "terei imprimido" and "terei impresso" work!
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