- The futuro anterior expresses the anterior temporality of an event with respect to another future event. In simpler terms, the futuro anterior tells us about events that will have taken place before other events in the future.
Quando Laura arriverà alla stazione, i ragazzi saranno già partiti.
When Laura arrives at the station, the boys will have already left.
Entro le 17 avremo completato il lavoro.
By 5pm, we will have completed the job.
Quando avrò sentito la sua versione dei fatti, ti racconterò tutto.
Once I’ve heard his side of the story, I’ll tell you everything. - Like the simple future, the futuro anterior can also be used to express probability or suppositions. Unlike the simple future, which expresses probability in the present, the futuro anterior expresses probability in the past.
Ha spento il portatile. Avrà finito il saggio prima di uscire.
She turned off the laptop. She probably wrote the essay before going out.
Si sarà fatto la doccia senza togliersi le scarpe!
He must have showered without taking off his shoes!
Se non è ancora arrivata, avrà avuto una buona ragione.
If she isn’t here yet, she must have had a good reason. - Like the simple future, the futuro anterior is also used after se and quando, as well as other conjugations of time, including appena, non appena, and finché. In these cases, the verb in the main clause must either be in the future tense or the imperative.
Quando avremo finito, andremo a prendere Carlo.
When we’ve finished, we’ll go get Carlo.
Appena ti avrà chiamato, fammi sapere.
As soon as he’s called you, let me know. - In contemporary spoken Italian, the simple future often replaces the futuro anterior in both the main and subordinate clauses. More often than not, relationships of anteriority between two events happening in the future are not made explicit.
Appena partirà, telefonerà a sua madre.
As soon as he leaves, he will call his mother.
Quando ti metterai la giacca, partiremo.
When you put on your jacket, we will leave.
NB: The futuro anterior is often replaced with the passato prossimo in spoken language.
Quando sei arrivato da Paolo, mi chiami?
Quando sarai arrivato da Paolo, mi chiamerai?
When you’ve arrived at Paolo’s, will you call me?