Italiano — Future of probability
In Italian the future tense is not only about the future: it also expresses a guess about the present. Saranno le tre means "it's probably three o'clock", not "it will be three o'clock".
How it works
Use the futuro semplice to guess about the present: Sarà a casa ("he's probably at home"), Quanti anni avrà? ("how old do you think he is?"). Use the futuro anteriore (avere/essere in the future + past participle) to guess about the past: Avrà avuto fretta ("he must have been in a hurry"), Saranno già partiti ("they've probably already left").
Examples
| Italian | Reading (supposition) |
|---|---|
| Saranno le tre. | It's probably three o'clock (now). |
| Sarà a casa. | He's probably at home. |
| Quanti anni avrà? | How old do you reckon he is? |
| Avrà avuto fretta. | He must have been in a hurry. |
| Avranno già mangiato. | They've probably already eaten. |
| Sarà già partito. | He's probably already left. |
Good to know
Context decides the meaning: Saranno le tre can be a plain prediction or a guess. As a supposition it usually answers a question or reacts to something (Dov'è Marco? — Sarà a casa) and is often reinforced by words like forse, probabilmente, chissà. Don't confuse it with the true future: Domani saranno le tre quando arrivi is a real forecast, not a guess.