expressing the future in Chinese-会 huì and 要 yào

Expressing Future in Chinese 1 – huì and yào

Posted on by tiffany

OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 1
Grammar Point · HSK 1

会 huì and 要 yào

Both 会 huì and 要 yào can point to the future in Chinese — but one states a fact, and the other states a decision.

會/会 huì and 要 yào

The good news: the choice comes down to one question. Is this just going to happen (weather, a delivery, an outcome outside your control), or is it something you’ve decided to do? The first is 会 huì, the second is 要 yào.

1 At a glance

会 huì要 yào
NatureA fact, a predictionA decision, a plan
Under your control?✕ Not necessarily✓ Yes
Weather, deliveries, outcomes✓ PreferredSounds like a wish

2 会 huì — a fact about the future

This isn’t about your willingness or your decision — it’s simply a statement about what will happen.

我wǒ明年míngnián会huì去qù上海Shànghǎi工作gōngzuò
I will be working in Shanghai next year.
A strictly factual statement — not framed as your decision.
他tā下xià星期三xīngqīsān不bú会huì来lái公司gōngsī
He will not come to the office next Wednesday.
你nǐ买mǎi的de东西dōngxi下xià个ge月yuè会huì到dào
Your purchase will arrive next month.
Not something you can decide the date of — just a simple fact.
明天míngtiān会huì下雨xiàyǔ
It’s going to rain tomorrow.
You can’t decide whether it rains — just a simple fact.
你nǐ明天míngtiān会huì去qù他tā的de生日派对shēngrì pàiduì吗ma？
Are you going to his birthday party tomorrow?
A neutral question — simply asking whether you’ll attend.

3 要 yào — a decision about the future

This emphasizes your willingness and your decision.

我wǒ明年míngnián要yào去qù上海Shànghǎi工作gōngzuò
I am going to work in Shanghai next year.
This is my decision — I want to go.
他tā下xià星期三xīngqīsān不bú要yào来lái公司gōngsī
He will not come to the office next Wednesday.
He doesn’t want to show up that day.
明天míngtiān一定yídìng要yào下雨xiàyǔ
It must rain tomorrow.
Not a fact — this is your wish, your will.
你nǐ明天míngtiān要yào去qù他tā的de生日派对shēngrì pàiduì吗ma？
Are you going to his birthday party tomorrow?
A stronger intention — this can sound like an invitation or a request.
你nǐ这zhè周末zhōumò要yào去qù哪儿nǎr？
Where are you going this weekend?

4 Comparing the two

Swap just the one word, and a plain fact becomes a personal decision.

我wǒ明年míngnián会huì去qù上海Shànghǎi工作gōngzuò ＝ 我wǒ明年míngnián要yào去qù上海Shànghǎi工作gōngzuò
I’ll be working in Shanghai next year. (stated as fact) vs. I’m going to work in Shanghai next year. (stated as my decision)
明天míngtiān会huì下雨xiàyǔ ≠ 明天míngtiān一定yídìng要yào下雨xiàyǔ
It’s going to rain tomorrow. (a fact) vs. It must rain tomorrow. (a wish, not a fact — you don’t control the weather)

5 Common Mistakes

❌ 他tā明天míngtiān要yào感冒gǎnmào
✅ 他tā明天míngtiān会huì感冒gǎnmào
Catching a cold isn’t something anyone chooses — it’s a passive outcome, so it takes 会 huì, not 要 yào.

6 Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01The train will arrive at 3pm.
火车huǒchē下午xiàwǔ三sān点diǎn会huì到dào。
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02I’m going to quit my job next month.
我wǒ下xià个ge月yuè要yào辞职cízhí。
👆 Tap to reveal
03She won’t come to the meeting today.
她tā今天jīntiān不bú会huì来lái开会kāihuì。
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04I don’t want to see him again.
我wǒ不bú要yào再zài见jiàn他tā了le。
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05Prices will go up next year.
明年míngnián物价wùjià会huì上涨shàngzhǎng。
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06What are you going to eat tonight?
你nǐ今天jīntiān晚上wǎnshang要yào吃chī什么shénme？
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07This machine won’t turn on.
这zhè台tái机器jīqì不bú会huì开kāi。
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08We’re going to move to Taipei next year.
我们wǒmen明年míngnián要yào搬bān到dào台北Táiběi。
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09He will turn thirty next year.
他tā明年míngnián会huì三十sānshí岁suì。
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10Are you going to buy that new phone?
你nǐ要yào买mǎi那nà支zhī新xīn手机shǒujī吗ma？
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Related grammar
→Difference between 想 xiǎng and 要 yào(HSK 1) →Three ways to say “can”: 能 néng / 会 huì / 可以 kěyǐ(HSK 1) →Expressing future with 将 jiāng(HSK 5)

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