This short guide covers the French near future and progressive forms, explaining when and how to use each one with clear examples.
Near Future
The near future expresses what is going to happen soon and is formed with aller + infinitive. Use it for planned or certain events.
Formation
To form the near future, conjugate aller in the present tense, then add the infinitive of the main verb. This structure is very straightforward.
| Aller (to go) | Infinitive | Near Future | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Je vais | parler | Je vais parler | |
| Tu vas | finir | Tu vas finir | |
| Il/elle/on va | vendre | Il/elle/on va vendre | |
| Nous allons | marcher | Nous allons marcher | |
| Vous allez | choisir | Vous allez choisir | |
| Ils/elles vont | courir | Ils/elles vont courir |
I am going to study this evening.
Usage
The near future is used for imminent actions, plans, and predictions based on present evidence. It feels more certain than the simple future in everyday speech.
Progressive
The progressive highlights an action in progress and is expressed with être en train de + infinitive. Use it to focus on the ongoing nature of an action.
Formation
To form the progressive, conjugate être in the present, add en train de, then use the infinitive of the main verb. This turns attention to the action happening right now.
| Être (to be) | En train de | Infinitive | Progressive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Je suis | en train de | parler | Je suis en train de parler | |
| Tu es | en train de | finir | Tu es en train de finir | |
| Il/elle/on est | en train de | vendre | Il/elle/on est en train de vendre | |
| Nous sommes | en train de | marcher | Nous sommes en train de marcher | |
| Vous êtes | en train de | choisir | Vous êtes en train de choisir | |
| Ils/elles sont | en train de | courir | Ils/elles sont en train de courir |
Usage
Use the progressive to emphasize that an action is happening at this moment, often in contrast to other actions or when narrating events in detail.
Summary
The near future (aller + infinitive) signals imminent or planned actions, while the progressive (être en train de + infinitive) highlights ongoing actions. Choose based on whether you want to express a forthcoming event or focus on an action in progress.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025