In the German language there is a funny extra use for
the future construction: the expression of doubt or
an assumption. In these doubts and assumptions, there
is the grammatical form of future tenses but no time
mentioned.
Examples
Er
wird wissen, was er tut. = (I
assume, I doubt that) he knows what he is
doing.
Sie werden wohl das
ganze Geld ausgegeben haben. = (I suppose)
they have spent all their money.
This use of the future is rather common in spoken language,
because with the voice (and even the face) of the
speaker it is much easier to get the idea of a doubt or
a presumption. In written language the form used would
most likely be: Ich denke,
er wird wissen, was er tut. or something alike
to make sure that the expression is an assumption. or:
Ich bezweifle,
