The future tenses: How to form and use them in French?

To form the simple future of most verbs in French, you can add the endings below to the future stem of the verb:

Now let’s look at some examples of forming the simple future.

• -er and -ir verbs

  For -er and -ir verbs, simply add the endings above to the infinitive form of the verb.

  Let's take finir (meaning to finish) and commencer (meaning to start) :

  Je finirai mon livre et j’en commencerai un autre immédiatement !

  Translation: I’ll finish my book and I’ll start a new one right away!

• -re verbs

  For -re verbs, remove the final -e and then add the simple future endings.

  Let's take mettre (meaning to put) and prendre (meaning to take) as examples:

  On mettra de l’essence avant de partir. Et on prendra des snacks pour la route.

  Translation: We’ll fill the tank before going. And we’ll buy some snacks for the trip.

Now let’s take a look at some of the trickier cases: the irregular verbs!

In French, the main situations where you’ll use the simple future are: for projections, for promises, for commands, for hypotheses about the future, in proverbs, and after certain conjunctions of time. Let’s take a look at each.

• For projections

  The simple future is used to describe future plans, dreams, expectations. These events may or may not happen.

  Un jour, j’irai sur la lune !

  Translation: One day, I’ll go to the moon!

  Je pense qu’ils viendront en voiture.

  Translation: I think they’ll come by car.

• For promises

  The simple future is used to make promises.

  Je t’aimerai toujours.

  Translation: I will always love you.

• For commands

  The simple future is sometimes used to give orders. In English, you usually use the imperative.

  Vous rangerez votre chambre.

  Translation: Make sure you tidy your bedroom.

• For hypotheses about the future

  The simple future is used when you want to say something will occur in the future under a certain current condition. It works exactly like in English. For more information on hypotheses and si clauses in French, check out our other post!

  Si tu viens, je ferai des crêpes.

  Translation: If you come, I’ll make pancakes.

• In proverbs

  The simple future tense can also be used for quotes, idioms, and general truths.

  Qui vivra verra.

  Translation: Time will tell.

  Literally: lit. lit. Who will live, will see.

  “Le futur sera meilleur demain.”

  Translation: “The future will be better tomorrow.”

  -Dan Quayle

• After conjunctions of time

  When a French sentence about the future uses a conjunction of time, all clauses will still be in the simple future.

  Dès qu’on arrivera, on ira à la plage.

  Translation: As soon as we arrive, we’ll go to the beach.

  Literally: lit. lit. As soon as we will arrive, we will go to the beach.

  This last use is often tricky for English speakers learning to speak in French, because in English you use the present tense in this situation!

Let’s now have a look at the near future and see how it differs.

To form the near future in French, all you need to do is conjugate the verb aller (meaning to go) in the present tense and then add an infinitive.

Here is a recap of the present tense conjugation for the verb aller, to help you out!

The near future is used to talk about future actions related to the present or future plans that have some level of certainty. We’ll look at each:

• In relation to the present

  The near future is used when an action is done as a result of a current situation. See it as a logical consequence.

  J’ai faim, je vais manger.

  Translation: I’m hungry, I’m going to eat.

• Plans and certainty

  The near future is used for plans prepared for a near and not so near future. Events can happen within a few years! The reason it is preferred to the simple future is that it is 100 percent certain to happen!

  Elle va avoir un enfant.

  Translation: She’s going to have a baby. (she is pregnant now)

  ≠

  Elle aura un enfant.

  Translation: She’ll have a baby. (one day)

Do you feel like you can now differentiate futur simple and futur proche? Check these French futur simple vs. futur proche activities to test your skills! Or read further to learn about two more tenses used to talk about the future!