Dutch expresses the future using two main constructions. Zullen + infinitive is used for predictions, promises, and formal future: “Het zal morgen regenen” (It will rain tomorrow — prediction). “Ik zal je bellen” (I will call you — promise). Gaan + infinitive is used for intentions and planned actions: “Ik ga morgen naar Amsterdam” (I’m going to Amsterdam tomorrow). The distinction mirrors English “will” vs. “going to” — intention vs. prediction.
In practice, Dutch speakers often use the present tense to express future plans when a time marker makes the futurity clear: “Ik vertrek morgen” (I leave tomorrow / I’m leaving tomorrow). This is extremely common in spoken Dutch and feels natural once you accept that tense and time are often carried by adverbs rather than verb form. The present-as-future is the most colloquial and frequent way to express near-future actions.
Zullen is irregular: ik zal, jij zult (or: zal), hij zal, wij zullen, jullie zullen, zij zullen. It also appears in suggestions: “Zullen we gaan?” (Shall we go?). Gaan conjugates regularly. A common error is using worden (to become) for the future — avoid this: worden means “to become” or forms the passive, not the future. The clearest future marker after all is simply a time word: morgen, volgende week, straks, binnenkort.