# All Slavic languages: Impossible Compound Futures (e.g. bede moc)



## lang22

What is the reason that some compound futures are not possible? I can't find any explanation for why this is. For example, in Russian, why can't you say "budu moch"? 

Also, specifically for Polish, which compound futures are not possible with an infinitive and why? I've seen conflicting information. It seems there may be three categories: 1. permissible compounds (bede czytac), 2. gray areas (bede isc [bede szla may be better (but why?)]), 3. not permitted (bede moc [only bede mogla is permitted (why?)]).

Also, for other Slavic languages, what compound futures are not possible?

Thanks.


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## papillon

lang22 said:


> What is the reason that some compound futures are not possible?  I can't find any explanation for why this is.  For example, in Russian, why can't you say "budu moch"?



Specifically for Russian, the rule is that compound futures are only formed for imperfective verbs; such tense is used for an action that is continuous or repetitive in the future (well, more or less ). There is no way to form a simple future for such verb without changing it for a perfective one.

Я буду гулять с собакой.
Он будет смотреть телевизор.
гулять, смотреть are imperfective.

For perfective verbs, there is simply no need for compound future, since they have the "simple" future:
Я погуляю с собакой.
Он посмотрит телевизор.
погулять, посмотреть are perfective

As for _budu moch_...Well, _moch_ is a special verb. The semantic difference between _budu moch_ and _smogu_ is pretty small, and so I guess people stick to the latter, and avoid the former.


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## lang22

But мочь is imperfective, so why can't I say Я буду мочь... ?


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## papillon

I've edited my previous post - see the end. _Moch_ is an exception. In fact I can't think of any other _imperfective verb_ where you couldn't form a compund future. Well, maybe a few more exceptions, but that's all (corrections ?)

By the way, what do you think of the following phrase in English:
Next year, *I will can go* to Japan.


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## cyanista

papillon said:


> I've edited my previous post - see the end. _Moch_ is an exception. In fact I can't think of any other _imperfective verb_ where you couldn't form a compund future. Well, maybe a few more exceptions, but that's all (corrections ?)



Буду быть is another impossible combination. But then, быть is probably the most special verb in Russian.


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## lang22

Thanks. In English, you could have:
Next year, I *will be able* to go to Japan.

I'm interested in this comparison:
1. Russian: Я *буду мочь* поехать в Японию.
2. Polish A: Ja *będę* *móc* pojechać do Japonii.
3. Polish B: Ja *będę mógł* pojechać do Japonii.
4. Other Slavic languages?

The first and second sentences are not possible, but the third sentence is possible. All three sentences would mean the same thing. Why is sentence three possible but not the first two?


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## jazyk

> What is the reason that some compound futures are not possible? I can't find any explanation for why this is. For example, in Russian, why can't you say "budu moch"?


You can say that in Czech: budu moci/moct: Až budeme spolu, budeme si moci popovídat. - When we are together, we'll able able to talk.


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## Kriviq

lang22 said:


> Thanks. In English, you could have:
> Next year, I *will be able* to go to Japan.
> 
> I'm interested in this comparison:
> 1. Russian: Я *буду мочь* поехать в Японию.
> 2. Polish A: Ja *będę* *móc* pojechać do Japonii.
> 3. Polish B: Ja *będę mógł* pojechać do Japonii.
> 4. Bulgarian: Аз *ще мога* да замина за Япония - perfectly right.



In Bulgarian all future tenses are compound.


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## slavian1

In Polish language verbs like *móc *(can, may)*, musieć *(must) are auxiliary verbs (alike in other languages, I guess). And very often they behave differently in comparison to plain verbs (why for instance thera is no -s for 3 person of can, may, must in English?).


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