Simple Future For Intermediate learners
What Is the Simple Future (Futur simple) in French?
The simple future (futur simple) is the French tense used to talk about actions that will happen in the future. It corresponds most often to the English "will + verb".
Futur simple presents a future action as certain, neutral, or distant, without emphasizing immediacy or preparation.
Here are some examples:
Je partirai demain.
I will leave tomorrow.
Elle réussira l'examen.
She will pass the exam.
Nous verrons plus tard.
We will see later.
When to Use Futur simple
The futur simple is used in four main situations.
Future Actions Without Emphasis on Immediacy
It is used when the future is not necessarily close.
Je vivrai à l'étranger un jour.
I will live abroad one day.
Nous partirons l'année prochaine.
We will leave next year.
Formal or Written French
In writing and formal speech, futur simple is often preferred over futur proche.
Nous vous contacterons prochainement.
We will contact you soon.
Le train partira à 18 h 30.
The train will depart at 6:30 PM.
Predictions Without Visible Evidence
It is used for opinions, beliefs, or general predictions.
Il pleuvra demain.
It will rain tomorrow.
Tu réussiras.
You will succeed.
Promises, Threats, and Strong Statements
It is very commonly used with je.
Je t'aiderai.
I will help you.
Je ne l'oublierai jamais.
I will never forget it.
How to Form Futur simple
Futur simple is a simple tense (no auxiliary).
General rule:
Take the infinitive of the verb
Add the future endings
Futur simple Endings (All Verbs)
These endings are the same for all verbs, regular or irregular.
Person | Ending |
|---|---|
je | -ai |
tu | -as |
il / elle / on | -a |
nous | -ons |
vous | -ez |
ils / elles | -ont |
Regular Verbs
For most verbs, the infinitive stays unchanged.
-er verbs (parler – to speak)
je parlerai | I will speak |
tu parleras | you will speak |
il / elle / on parlera | he/she/one will speak |
nous parlerons | we will speak |
vous parlerez | you will speak |
ils / elles parleront | they will speak |
-ir verbs (finir – to finish)
je finirai | I will finish |
tu finiras | you will finish |
il/ elle / on finira | he/she/one will finish |
nous finirons | we will finish |
vous finirez | you will finish |
ils / elles finiront | they will finish |
-re verbs (attendre – to wait)
j'attendrai | I will wait |
tu attendras | you will wait |
il / elle / on attendra | he/she/one will wait |
nous attendrons | we will wait |
vous attendrez | you will wait |
ils / elles attendront | they will wait |
Tip!
Notice that the future stem of -re verbs is formed by using the infinitive without the final -e.
Here are some examples:
Je parlerai demain.
I will speak tomorrow.
Nous finirons bientôt.
We will finish soon.
Ils vendront la maison.
They will sell the house.
Irregular Future Stems
Some verbs have an irregular stem, but still use the same endings. These common irregular stems must be memorized.
Infinitive | Future stem | Example (il / elle) |
|---|---|---|
être | ser- | il sera |
avoir | aur- | elle aura |
aller | ir- | il ira |
faire | fer- | elle fera |
venir | viendr- | il viendra |
tenir | tiendr- | elle tiendra |
pouvoir | pourr- | il pourra |
vouloir | voudr- | elle voudra |
devoir | devr- | il devra |
savoir | saur- | il saura |
voir | verr- | il verra |
envoyer | enverr- | elle enverra |
recevoir | recevr- | il recevra |
courir | courr- | elle courra |
mourir | mourr- | il mourra |
Spelling and Pronunciation Changes
Some verbs change spelling to preserve pronunciation:
verbs ending in -yer → y changes to i
payer → je paierai, tu paieras
verbs ending in -e + consonant + er → double consonant
appeler → j'appellerai, nous appellerons
jeter → je jetterai, ils jetteront
accent changes e → è
lever → je lèverai, tu lèveras
acheter → j'achèterai, elle achètera
Futur simple vs Futur proche
Futur simple | Futur proche |
|---|---|
neutral, distant | near, planned |
formal / written | informal / spoken |
prediction, promise | intention, evidence |
Je vais étudier ce soir. → near, spoken
I'm going to study tonight.
J'étudierai à l'université. → long-term, neutral
I will study at university.
Negation in Futur simple
Place ne…pas around the conjugated verb.
Je ne partirai pas demain.
I will not leave tomorrow.
Ils n'oublieront pas le rendez-vous.
They will not forget the appointment.
Questions in Futur simple
Intonation
Tu viendras demain ?
Will you come tomorrow?
Est-ce que
Est-ce que tu viendras demain ?
Will you come tomorrow?
Inversion (formal)
Viendras-tu demain ?
Will you come tomorrow?
Comments
(0)
Recommended
