In short

Imperfective verbs (ongoing, repeated, or planned future actions) have one future meaning expressed by two interchangeable forms:

• Compound (складена): the future of «бути» + an imperfective infinitive — бу́ду чита́ти “I will read / will be reading”.
• Synthetic (проста): the same infinitive with a fused ending in -му — чита́тиму, one word, exactly the same meaning.

The synthetic -му form is a signature of Ukrainian: it packs the whole future tense into a single word, and Russian has no equivalent. Learn both — they are equally correct and you will hear both constantly.

The rule

Both forms build only on IMPERFECTIVE infinitives (чита́ти, роби́ти, писа́ти — lesson 24). A one-off completed result uses the perfective future instead (lesson 27).

Compound. Conjugate «бути» in the future (бу́ду, бу́деш, бу́де, бу́демо, бу́дете, бу́дуть) and add the unchanged imperfective infinitive: бу́ду + чита́ти → бу́ду чита́ти.

Synthetic. Take the same imperfective infinitive (it ends in -ти) and glue a personal ending straight onto it: чита́ти + му → чита́тиму. Historically these endings are worn-down forms of an old verb “яти”, now fused to the infinitive. The stress stays on the same syllable as in the infinitive throughout the whole paradigm.

Forms & patterns

Compound and synthetic side by side (verb чита́ти “to read”):

The synthetic endings (identical for every verb, added after the full -ти stem):

The same synthetic pattern on роби́ти “to do” and писа́ти “to write”:

Notice the stress never moves: чита́ти → чита́тиму, роби́ти → роби́тиме, писа́ти → писа́тимеш.

Reflexive verbs (lesson 13) keep -ся at the very end, so the new ending goes inside it: strip the -ся, glue the ending onto the -ти stem, then put -ся back — вчи́тися → вчи́ти + му + ся → вчи́тимуся, вчи́тимешся, вчи́тиметься (only the 3sg changes shape: -ме regains its -ть before -ся), вчи́тимемося, вчи́тиметеся, вчи́тимуться. The compound form needs none of that: бу́ду вчи́тися.

Examples

Common mistakes

• бу́ду чита́тиму -> бу́ду чита́ти / чита́тиму — pick ONE form; never stack «буду» with the -му ending.
• бу́ду прочита́ти -> прочита́ю / бу́ду чита́ти — «буду» + infinitive takes only IMPERFECTIVE infinitives; a perfective verb uses the present-as-future (lesson 27).
• чита́му -> чита́тиму — keep the full infinitive in -ти, then add -му; don’t drop the -ти.
• я чита́тимеш -> я чита́тиму — the ending -му is 1st person singular; -меш is “ти”.
• ти бу́деш чита́є -> ти бу́деш чита́ти — after «буде»-forms comes the INFINITIVE, not a conjugated present-tense verb.

Tips

• Both forms are 100% interchangeable in meaning; the choice is only style. The synthetic -му is compact and unmistakably Ukrainian.
• Build the synthetic form mechanically: imperfective infinitive (in -ти) + -му / -меш / -ме / -мемо / -мете / -муть. No stem changes.
• Build the compound form from «бути» in the future (бу́ду, бу́деш…) plus any imperfective infinitive — handy when you’re unsure of the fused spelling.
• Use either form for ongoing, habitual, or planned future actions: “I’ll be reading tonight”, “we’ll study next year”.
• For a single completed future result (“I’ll read it through, and finish”), switch to the perfective future — прочита́ю, напишу́ (lesson 27).
• Stress sits on the same syllable as in the infinitive, so once you know чита́ти, the whole synthetic paradigm is stressed on -та-.