The futur proche (near future) expresses something that is going to happen soon. It is used for intentions, plans, or things that are about to occur shortly.
- The structure is: aller (to go) in the present + infinitive of the main verb
- The verb aller is conjugated according to the subject
- The main verb remains in its infinitive form
| French Subject Pronoun | Conjugation of aller (to go) | Example Verb: partir (to leave) | Example: Partir (to leave) | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | vais | partir | Je vais partir. | I am going to leave. |
| tu | vas | partir | Tu vas partir. | You are going to leave. |
| il/elle/on | va | partir | Elle va partir. | She is going to leave. |
| nous | allons | partir | Nous allons partir. | We are going to leave. |
| vous | allez | partir | Vous allez partir. | You are going to leave. |
| ils/elles | vont | partir | Ils vont partir. | They are going to leave. |
- The negation is formed by placing ne ... pas around the conjugated form of aller
| Subject Pronoun | Conjugation (Affirmative) | Negative Form | Example Affirmative | Example Negative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | vais partir | ne vais pas partir | Je vais partir. | Je ne vais pas partir. |
| tu | vas manger | ne vas pas manger | Tu vas manger. | Tu ne vas pas manger. |
- For pronouns (me, te, se, etc.), place them before aller
| Pronoun | Conjugation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| me | Je me vais … (incorrect) | Je vais me laver. |
| te | Tu te vas … (incorrect) | Tu vas te lever. |
- Time expressions commonly used with futur proche:
| French Time Expression | English Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| tout à l’heure | in a little while | Je vais partir tout à l’heure. |
| bientôt | soon | Ils vont arriver bientôt. |
| dans cinq minutes | in five minutes | Nous allons manger dans cinq minutes. |
The futur proche is a simple and intuitive way to talk about the near future in French.
Where do you place time expressions (e.g., bientôt, tout à l’heure) in a futur proche sentence?
They're usually placed at the end or beginning of the sentence.
Time expressions can appear at the beginning or end (e.g., Je vais partir bientôt, Tout à l’heure, nous allons sortir).
Flashcards (1 of 9)
- Conjugation of aller (to go): vais
- Example Verb: partir (to leave): partir
- Example: Partir (to leave): Je vais partir.
- English Example: I am going to leave.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
