Future Tense in French

The future tense is used to talk about upcoming events. While the French future tense has a full set of conjugations, the English equivalent is just the modal verb “will” + main verb.

Even though the French future tense has a set of explicit conjugations, it is one of the simplest French tenses. The endings for all verbs, be it -er, -ir or -re, remain the same.

Formation

Most verbs – even the ones which are irregular in the present tense – use their infinitive as the root. For -re verbs we drop the final -e and add the same endings. There are only a few verbs which have irregular future stems, and even these take the same endings. It is also worth noting that the future stem of every verb, whether regular or irregular, ends in -r.

The endings of the future tense are the same as the present tense of avoir (without the “av-” of avons and avez): -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez and -ont.

Avoir (present)	Future ending
j’ai	-ai
tu as	-as
il / elle a	-a
nous avons	-ons
vous avez	-ez
ils / elles ont	-ont

To conjugate an -er or -ir verb in the future tense, add the appropriate endings to the infinitive form of the verb. For -re verbs, remove the final -e and then add the future endings. For irregular verbs, add the endings to the irregular future stem.

For example, here are the future conjugations of the regular verbs parler (to speak), finir (to finish) and vendre (to sell), and of aller (to go), which has an irregular stem in the future:

Pronoun	Future ending	parler > parler-	finir > finir-	vendre > vendr-	aller > ir-
je / j’	-ai	parlerai	finirai	vendrai	irai
tu	-as	parleras	finiras	vendras	iras
il / elle / on	-a	parlera	finira	vendra	ira
nous	-ons	parlerons	finirons	vendrons	irons
vous	-ez	parlerez	finirez	vendrez	irez
ils / elles	-ont	parleront	finiront	vendront	iront

Verbs with irregular future stems

1. Aller (to go) – ir-
2. Avoir (to have) – aur-
3. Être (to be) – ser-
4. Faire (to do / make) – fer-
5. Pouvoir (to be able to) – pourr-
6. Savoir (to know) – saur-
7. Venir (to come) – viendr-
8. Vouloir (to want) – voudr-
9. Devoir (to have to / must) – devr-
10. Recevoir (to receive) – recevr-
11. Envoyer (to send) – enverr-
12. Voir (to see) – verr-
13. Courir (to run) – courr-
14. Tenir (to hold) – tiendr-
15. Pleuvoir (to rain) – pleuvr-
16. Falloir (to be necessary / must) – faudr-
17. Acheter (to buy) – achèter-; similar verbs: achever, amener, emmener, lever, promener
18. Appeler (to call) – appeller-; similar verbs: épeler, rappeler
19. Essayer (to try) – essaier-; similar verbs: balayer, effrayer, payer

These verbs have irregular stems in the future tense, so when conjugating them, you use these stems before adding the future tense endings.

Futur Proche

Futur proche is a verb construction used to express something that is going to happen soon, an upcoming event which is going to occur in the near future. It is quite similar to its English counterpart.

Unlike the futur simple, the futur proche has no special endings of its own. As in English, it combines the verb “to go” (aller) in the present tense with the infinitive of the verb that shows the action performed by the subject.

I am going to go to the market tomorrow.

Demain, je vais aller au marché.

The equivalent of the present continuous “I am going” is “je vais”, and the infinitive of the verb “to go” is aller.

• I am going = je vais
• I go = je vais

Also notice that time expressions such as demain are often placed at the start of the sentence in French.

I am going to dance at the party next week.

La semaine prochaine, je vais danser à la boum.

Thus the formation of the futur proche is:

Present tense of aller + infinitive of the action verb

Examples:

• Je vais voir Luc. – I am going to see Luc.
• Il va arriver. – He is going to arrive.
• Nous allons manger. – We are going to eat.

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The Glamourous French Riviera

Image by Guy Dugas from Pixabay

The French Riviera, also known as the Côte d’Azur, is a glamorous and picturesque stretch of coastline along the Mediterranean Sea in southeastern France. It extends from the Italian border to the town of Saint-Tropez. The French Riviera is renowned for its stunning scenery, luxurious resorts, beautiful beaches, and vibrant nightlife.

This region is synonymous with wealth, luxury, and high society, attracting celebrities, aristocrats, and tourists from around the world. The cities and towns along the French Riviera are known for their elegant promenades, chic boutiques, and upscale restaurants. Some of the most famous destinations on the French Riviera include Nice, Cannes, Monaco, Saint-Tropez, Antibes, and Menton.

In addition to its glamorous atmosphere, the French Riviera also offers a rich cultural experience with museums, galleries, and historical sites to explore. The region’s mild Mediterranean climate makes it a popular destination year-round for both relaxation and entertainment.

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Exercises

Try the exercises first, then check your answers at the end of the post.

1. Sentence Completion

Complete the sentences using the correct form of the verb in the futur simple:

1. Demain, j’______ (aller) au marché.
2. La semaine prochaine, nous ______ (finir) nos devoirs.
3. Tu ______ (être) très content de ton nouveau travail.
4. Demain, il ______ (faire) beau.
5. Elles ______ (venir) chez nous ce soir.
6. Nous ______ (partir) en vacances l’été prochain.
7. Tu ______ (manger) au restaurant ce week-end.
8. Ils ______ (voir) leur projet la semaine prochaine.
9. Tu ______ (envoyer) ce paquet la semaine prochaine.
10. Demain, j’______ (avoir) un examen.
11. Elle ______ (savoir) la réponse bientôt.
12. Nous ______ (parler) avec le directeur demain.
13. Tu ______ (courir) dans le parc ce week-end.
14. Ils ______ (pouvoir) venir à la fête.
15. Vous ______ (vouloir) aller au cinéma samedi.

2. Translation into Futur Proche or Futur Simple

Translate the sentences into French. Use the futur proche when the sentence says “going to”, and the futur simple when it says “will”.

1. I will have a new car next year.
2. I am going to have lunch in a few minutes.
3. You (singular) will know the answer tomorrow.
4. You (singular) are going to run in the park tomorrow.
5. They (masculine) are going to be able to finish the project soon.
6. He will speak with his boss later.
7. I will speak with the teacher tomorrow.
8. She will sell her car next month.
9. We will be happy to help you.
10. We will run in the marathon next month.
11. They (feminine) will be able to come to the meeting next week.
12. You (plural) will want to eat after the movie.
13. She is going to know the truth soon.
14. We are going to speak with the teacher after class.

3. Multiple Choice

Choose the correct future tense form of the verb in parentheses:

1. Il ______ (être) en retard.
   a) sera
   b) seras
   c) serons
2. Nous ______ (manger) au restaurant ce soir.
   a) mangera
   b) mangerons
   c) mangerez
3. Tu ______ (avoir) un chien.
   a) aurai
   b) aura
   c) auras
4. Je ______ (prendre) le bus demain matin.
   a) prendrai
   b) prendras
   c) prendront
5. Elles ______ (aller) à la plage.
   a) ira
   b) iront
   c) irons

4. More Translation Practice

Translate the following sentences into French using the futur simple:

1. I will visit my family next month. (Hint: rendre visite à = to visit a person)
2. They will start their new job in September. (Hint: emploi, travail, boulot = job)
3. We will go to the beach next summer.
4. She will study abroad next year. (Hint: à l’étranger = abroad)
5. She will study for her exam tomorrow.
6. We will go to the concert next week.
7. They will visit their grandparents next month.
8. I will buy a new car next year.

5. Writing Practice

Write a short paragraph (5–7 sentences) about your plans for the next holiday, using the future tense. Be sure to include different verbs and subject pronouns, and at least five verbs in the futur simple.

For example: “Je partirai en vacances cet été. J’irai à la plage et je nagerai tous les jours. Je rencontrerai aussi des amis et je ferai des activités comme la randonnée et le vélo.”

6. Speaking Practice

Practise using the futur simple in conversation with a partner. Ask each other about your future plans and respond using the tense. For example:

• “Qu’est-ce que tu feras ce week-end ?”
• “Je visiterai un musée et je passerai du temps avec ma famille.”

Answer Key

Answers: 1. Sentence Completion

1. irai
2. finirons
3. seras
4. fera
5. viendront
6. partirons
7. mangeras
8. verront
9. enverras
10. aurai
11. saura
12. parlerons
13. courras
14. pourront
15. voudrez

Answers: 2. Translation

1. J’aurai une nouvelle voiture l’année prochaine.
2. Je vais déjeuner dans quelques minutes.
3. Tu sauras la réponse demain.
4. Tu vas courir dans le parc demain.
5. Ils vont pouvoir finir le projet bientôt.
6. Il parlera avec son patron plus tard.
7. Je parlerai avec le professeur demain.
8. Elle vendra sa voiture le mois prochain.
9. Nous serons heureux de vous aider.
10. Nous courrons le marathon le mois prochain.
11. Elles pourront venir à la réunion la semaine prochaine.
12. Vous voudrez manger après le film.
13. Elle va savoir la vérité bientôt.
14. Nous allons parler avec le professeur après le cours.

Answers: 3. Multiple Choice

1. a) sera
2. b) mangerons
3. c) auras
4. a) prendrai
5. b) iront

Answers: 4. More Translation Practice

1. Je rendrai visite à ma famille le mois prochain.
2. Ils commenceront leur nouvel emploi en septembre.
3. Nous irons à la plage l’été prochain.
4. Elle étudiera à l’étranger l’année prochaine.
5. Elle révisera pour son examen demain.
6. Nous irons au concert la semaine prochaine.
7. Ils rendront visite à leurs grands-parents le mois prochain.
8. J’achèterai une nouvelle voiture l’année prochaine.