Using future tense for prediction/probability vs regular future

Question

How does one know if

"Hay un incidente ahí; tendrán que llamar a la policía."

should be translated as

1) There is an accident there; they MIGHT have to call the police (probability)

vs

2) There is an accident there, they WILL have to call the police (statement of fact)

Thanks

Answer

Hola DougWe are giving in the English translations "might" to convey the probability of that happening in the future. If we give straight away the future in the English it is pretty much giving it away. This way the student needs to associate the "probability" with the future tense in Spanish.Hope this helps,SaludosInma

Answer

I have the same question and I don't think I understand the answer given. In the examples above, sometimes the future seems to express a certainty and sometimes a probability and I don't see what the contextual clues are for either.

Answer

I agree with Doug and R. I too cannot always find the contextual clue that indicates probability over certainty in many of the questions.

By example, I do find uncertainty expressed in the Kwiziq question: "Sospechamos que María volverá con él." only because 'suspect' in English has an element of doubt attached to it.

It's also worth noting that this was guesswork on my part as the other choices offered just didn't fit:

Sospechamos que María volverá con él.

Sospechamos que María vuelve con él.

Sospechamos que María está volviendo con él.

Sospechamos que María volvería con él.

...but in other examples this is not so obvious.

Or are we expected to assume that an intention, however well meant, must always have an element of doubt attached to it simply because it is in the future, and so may or may not happen?

Saludos

Answer

Hola Doug, R and Graeme,We will revise this lesson to make the context clearer. Saludos