Introduction
faltarán is a useful Spanish verb form for talking about things that will be missing, needed, or left to do in the future. You may hear it when someone discusses how many pages remain in a book, what supplies a group still needs, or which people will be absent from an event. The form comes from the verb faltar, which has several related meanings, so its translation can change with the sentence. Learning to understand the subject and the surrounding words will help you choose the most natural meaning in English.
This guide explains the meaning, grammar, pronunciation, and everyday use of faltarán. You will also see example sentences and learn how it differs from similar words such as necesitar and sobrar. Once you recognize its future-tense ending and plural agreement, you can use the word with more confidence in conversation and writing.
Meaning and Definition
Faltarán is the third-person plural form of the Spanish verb faltar in the simple future tense. It usually means they will be missing, they will be lacking, or there will be some left to do. The best English translation depends on what the sentence is about. For example, the subject might be people, objects, time, steps, or information.
The verb faltar often describes something that is not present or not yet complete. In a sentence such as Faltarán dos páginas, the pages are still left to read or finish. In Faltarán dos sillas, two chairs will be missing or needed. The same Spanish form can therefore express an absence or an unfinished amount.
The ending helps explain the grammar. Spanish adds the future ending -án to the infinitive faltar to make faltarán. The ending indicates a third-person plural subject, such as ellos, ellas, ustedes, or a plural noun. The subject does not always need to be stated because the verb form and the rest of the sentence often make it clear.
Compare the singular form faltará with the plural faltarán. Faltará una pieza means one piece will be missing, while Faltarán varias piezas means several pieces will be missing. The verb agrees with the thing or people that are lacking, not necessarily with the person who notices the lack.
Spanish speakers also use faltar to say that something is needed. In Nos faltarán más datos, the literal idea is that more information will be lacking for us. A natural translation is we will need more information. The pronoun nos means to us or for us, and it does not change the plural form of the verb. The plural subject is datos.
The verb developed from Latin fallere, a verb associated with failing or deceiving. In modern Spanish, faltar has several everyday meanings, including to be absent, to be missing, and to lack. Its future form keeps those meanings but places them in the future. Learners do not need to know the Latin history to use it, but the connection between absence and lack can make its meanings easier to remember.
Usage and Example Sentences
Use faltarán when the thing or people that will be absent or still needed are plural. The following examples show how context guides the English translation.
Spanish: Faltarán tres páginas para terminar el capítulo.
English: There will be three pages left to finish the chapter.
Spanish: En la sala faltarán algunas sillas para todos los invitados.
English: There will be some chairs missing from the room for all the guests.
Spanish: Nos faltarán dos ingredientes para preparar la receta.
English: We will need two ingredients to make the recipe.
Spanish: Faltarán cinco minutos para que comience la clase.
English: There will be five minutes left before class begins.
Spanish: Con estos cambios, faltarán menos pasos en el proceso.
English: With these changes, there will be fewer steps left in the process.
Spanish: Ellos faltarán a la práctica el viernes.
English: They will be absent from practice on Friday.
Spanish: En el informe faltarán algunos detalles importantes.
English: Some important details will be missing from the report.
Spanish: Cuando lleguemos, faltarán dos lugares por visitar.
English: When we arrive, there will be two places left to visit.
Notice how the English translations do not all use the same word. A time amount may be left, an object may be missing, a person may be absent, or a group may need something. Look at the subject and the situation before choosing a translation.
The future tense can refer to a later time, as in a plan for Friday, or to a prediction about what will be needed. In everyday Spanish, speakers may also use the present tense when a future time is already clear. The future form is especially useful when you want to emphasize that the absence or need will happen later.
Synonyms, Antonyms, and Word Usage Differences
There is no single synonym for faltarán that works in every situation. If people will not be present, a useful alternative is estarán ausentes, meaning they will be absent. This expression is more direct and can sound a little more formal. For objects that are not available, no habrá plus a noun can mean there will not be any. The wording changes, so check that the whole sentence still expresses the meaning you want.
When the sense is that something is needed, necesitarán may be a close alternative. It means they will need. Compare Nos faltarán dos sillas, or we will be short two chairs, with Necesitaremos dos sillas, or we will need two chairs. The first focuses on what is missing from the current supply. The second focuses on the need itself.
For an amount of work or time that remains, expressions such as quedarán can sometimes be similar. Quedarán dos ejercicios means two exercises will remain. By contrast, Faltarán dos ejercicios can mean two exercises will still be missing or left to complete. The difference depends on whether the speaker views the items as remaining in a sequence or as an incomplete part of a whole.
A common opposite of faltar is sobrar, which means to be left over or to be more than needed. For instance, if some seats are missing, there are not enough seats; if seats are left over, there are more seats than the group needs. In the future, sobrarán means they will be left over. Choose between the two verbs by asking whether the amount is too small or more than necessary.
Another related form is hacer falta, which means to be necessary or to be needed. The expression changes according to the thing being needed: Hará falta una mesa means one table will be needed, while Harán falta varias mesas means several tables will be needed. In this construction, the verb hacer carries the future ending, and the noun determines whether it is singular or plural. This is related in meaning to faltarán, but the grammar is different.
Do not confuse faltarán with fallarán. The second form comes from fallar and usually means they will fail or make a mistake. The words look similar, but their meanings are different. Also distinguish faltan, the present-tense form meaning they are missing or needed now, from faltarán, which points to a future situation.
Pronunciation and Accent
The pronunciation of faltarán can be shown in IPA as /fal.taˈɾan/. A simple guide for English speakers is fal-tah-RAHN. The final syllable, rán, receives the strongest stress. The Spanish r in this word is a quick tap of the tongue, similar to the brief sound in the middle of the Spanish word pero.
The written accent mark over the á is important. Spanish future forms that end in -án have a written accent, and it shows which syllable is stressed. Without that accent, the spelling would not correctly mark the stress pattern. When writing the word, remember both the acute accent on á and the final n.
Break the word into three syllables: fal, ta, and rán. Keep the vowels clear and short rather than changing them into English-style vowel sounds. In many Spanish-speaking regions, the final n may sound slightly softer or more nasal, but the main pronunciation remains easy to recognize. The sound of the letter a is generally like the a in father.
A common mistake is to stress the first syllable and say FAL-ta-ran. Another is to use a strong English r instead of the light Spanish tap. Practice slowly at first, then say the word in a phrase such as Faltarán dos días. Keeping the stress on rán will help your pronunciation sound more natural and will also remind you that the form is future tense.
Native Speaker Nuance and Usage Context
Native speakers use faltarán in ordinary situations involving schedules, lists, plans, and supplies. Someone might use it to estimate how much time remains, explain what a project still needs, or point out which parts of a plan are incomplete. It works in conversation as well as in messages, schoolwork, and professional writing. The word itself is neutral; the context gives it its exact shade of meaning.
Spanish often places the thing that is missing after the verb. For example, Faltarán dos libros en la colección puts the plural noun after the verb. English speakers may expect a sentence beginning with there will be, but Spanish can express the idea directly with faltar. This word order is common and does not mean that the books are doing an action.
When the person affected matters, Spanish may add an indirect object pronoun such as me, te, le, nos, or les. In Nos faltarán algunos materiales, nos tells you who will be short of the materials. The materials remain the grammatical subject, which is why the plural verb form matches materiales. This pattern is useful to learn as a complete phrase rather than translating every word separately.
For attendance, faltar can mean to be absent from a place or activity. The person who is absent is the subject, and the place or activity often follows with a. For example, Ellas faltarán a la reunión means they will be absent from the meeting. This use is clear from the context and differs slightly from saying that an object or detail is missing.
In more formal writing, the word can describe a missing section, item, or piece of information without sounding emotional. In casual speech, a speaker may use it while counting what remains or deciding what to bring. Listen for nearby words such as minutos, ingredientes, personas, or detalles. They often reveal whether the best English meaning is will be left, will be missing, will be absent, or will be needed.
Although faltarán predicts a future situation, Spanish speakers may choose a present-tense form if the event is already on a calendar or the future time is clear. The future form can make a prediction sound more explicit. It can also express a guess about what will be lacking. The speaker is not always making a formal promise; sometimes they are simply estimating what a plan requires.
Conclusion
Faltarán is the plural future form of faltar. Depending on context, it can mean they will be missing, they will be absent, there will be some left, or something will be needed. Its subject is usually the plural thing or people that are missing, while an object pronoun can show who is affected. Comparing it with faltará, necesitarán, and sobrarán helps you choose the right form and meaning.
For pronunciation, divide the word into fal-ta-rán and stress the final syllable. The accent mark over á is essential in both spelling and pronunciation. As you read or listen to Spanish, notice the noun and the situation around the verb. With that context, the different translations become easier to understand. Practicing examples about time, supplies, and plans will help you recognize and use faltarán naturally in everyday Spanish.
