The French future tense: futur proche, futur simple and futur antérieur
By Thierry Gustin
Published
Updated
4 min read
Contents
The French future tense is easier than it looks, because it works much like English. There is a "near" future (I'm going to leave), a simple future (I will leave) and a compound future (I will have left). The main difference lies in one rule that English speakers forget all the time: after quand (when), French uses the future.
When do you use the futur proche?
The futur proche is formed with the verb aller in the present tense plus an infinitive, exactly like "going to" in English: je vais manger, nous allons partir. It is used for:
- An immediate or very near action: Attention, tu vas tomber ! (Careful, you're going to fall!)
- A decided plan: L'année prochaine, je vais apprendre l'italien. (Next year, I'm going to learn Italian.)
- Spoken French in general: in conversation, the futur proche is far more common than the futur simple.
| Person | Futur proche of partir |
|---|---|
| je | vais partir |
| tu | vas partir |
| il / elle | va partir |
| nous | allons partir |
| vous | allez partir |
| ils / elles | vont partir |
When do you use the futur simple?
The futur simple expresses plans, predictions, promises and more distant or formal future events, much like "will": Demain, il fera beau. Je t'appellerai ce soir. En 2030, nous habiterons à Lyon. (Tomorrow the weather will be nice. I'll call you tonight. In 2030, we will live in Lyon.)
Unlike English, French has no separate word for "will": the future is a single verb form. It is built from the infinitive + the endings -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont (verbs in -re drop the e): je parlerai, tu finiras, il prendra, nous mangerons, vous direz, ils partiront.
The most common irregular futures
| Verb | Future | Verb | Future |
|---|---|---|---|
| être | je serai | venir | je viendrai |
| avoir | j'aurai | voir | je verrai |
| aller | j'irai | pouvoir | je pourrai |
| faire | je ferai | vouloir | je voudrai |
| savoir | je saurai | devoir | je devrai |
| falloir | il faudra | envoyer | j'enverrai |
The stem is irregular, but the endings never change. If you find them hard to memorise, you'll find more examples in French irregular verbs.
What is the futur antérieur?
The futur antérieur describes an action that will be finished before another future moment, like "I will have finished". It is formed with avoir or être in the future plus the past participle: j'aurai fini, elle sera partie.
Quand tu arriveras, j'aurai déjà dîné. (When you arrive, I will already have had dinner.)
The "quand" rule English speakers forget
In English we say "when I arrive" (present tense) even though the action is in the future. In French, if the action is in the future, you use the future after quand, lorsque, dès que or aussitôt que:
- "When I grow up, I'll be a doctor" → ✓ Quand je serai grand, je serai médecin.
- "As soon as you arrive, call me" → ✓ Dès que tu arriveras, appelle-moi.
✗ Quand je suis grand… is a very common mistake for English speakers. You'll find other cases where French grammar does not follow English logic in the French subjunctive.
Futur proche or futur simple?
In many cases both are possible. As a practical rule:
- When speaking, use the futur proche for what is near or decided: Ce soir, je vais voir un film.
- In writing or in a formal register, prefer the futur simple: Nous vous contacterons dans les meilleurs délais.
- For promises and predictions, use the futur simple: Je ne recommencerai plus. Il pleuvra demain.
In the DELF, being able to alternate between the two and using the futur simple in a formal letter is a good sign of your level. To conjugate any verb in the future, you can use Le Figaro's conjugation tool.
Frequently asked questions
How do you form the futur simple in French?
Infinitive + -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont: je parlerai, tu finiras. Verbs ending in -re drop the final e: je prendrai.
Is the future of "aller" "j'allerai"?
No, it is irregular: j'irai, tu iras, il ira, nous irons, vous irez, ils iront.
Do you use the future after "quand"?
Yes, when the action is in the future: Quand j'aurai le temps, je lirai ce livre. (When I have time, I'll read this book.)
How do you pronounce the difference between "je parlerai" and "je parlerais"?
In careful pronunciation, the future ends in a closed "é" sound and the conditional in an open "è". Many French people no longer distinguish them when speaking, but in writing the difference is essential.
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