The futur simple is a French verb tense used to talk about actions or events that will happen in the future. It is one of the main ways to express the future in French, along with the futur proche (near future). The futur simple is more formal and is often found in writing, literature, and speech that looks ahead in time.
In this guide, we will cover how to form the futur simple, including the endings and stem rules, list some of the most important irregular verbs, and provide examples to show how it is used in context.
Formation
The futur simple is formed by taking the infinitive of the verb (for -re verbs, drop the final -e), and adding the following endings:
| Person | French Ending | English Ending | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | -ai | -will | je parlerai | I will speak |
| tu | -as | -will | tu finiras | you will finish |
| il/elle/on | -a | -will | elle vendra | she will sell |
| nous | -ons | -will | nous partirons | we will leave |
| vous | -ez | -will | vous choisirez | you (pl.) will choose |
| ils/elles | -ont | -will | ils attendront | they will wait |
- For -er and -ir verbs, use the infinitive as the stem.
- For -re verbs, drop the final -e before adding endings.
Stem Rules (Irregular Verbs)
Some verbs use irregular stems in the futur simple, but they still take the same endings (-ai, -as, -a, etc.). Here are some common ones:
| Infinitive | Futur Stem | English Meaning | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| être | ser- | to be | je serai heureux | I will be happy |
| avoir | aur- | to have | tu auras raison | you will be right |
| aller | ir- | to go | il ira au marché | he will go to the market |
| faire | fer- | to do/make | nous ferons un gâteau | we will make a cake |
| venir | viendr- | to come | ils viendront demain | they will come tomorrow |
| pouvoir | pourr- | can | je pourrai partir tôt | I will be able to leave early |
| devoir | devr- | must | tu devras étudier | you will have to study |
| voir | verr- | to see | elle verra le film | she will see the movie |
| savoir | saur- | to know | nous saurons la vérité | we will know the truth |
| vouloir | voudr- | to want | ils voudront sortir | they will want to go out |
| envoyer | enverr- | to send | j’enverrai la lettre | I will send the letter |
| recevoir | recevr- | to receive | tu recevras un message | you will receive a message |
Usage
The futur simple is used in the following contexts:
Future Actions
To describe what will happen:
Demain, je partirai à 8 heures. Tomorrow, I will leave at 8 o’clock.
Predictions
To make guesses or predictions about the future:
Ce soir, il fera froid. Tonight, it will be cold.
Promises and Intentions
To make a promise or express a strong intention:
Je vous aiderai demain. I will help you tomorrow.
Commands or Warnings (Politely)
To give polite commands or warnings:
Vous ne mangerez pas ça ! You will not eat that!
Time Clauses Referring to the Future
After certain conjunctions like quand, lorsque, aussitôt que (when, as soon as), the verb is in the futur simple or futur antérieur:
Quand il arrivera, nous partirons. When he arrives, we will leave.
Tomorrow, I will leave at 8 o’clock.
Demain, je partirai à 8 heures.
'Partir' is a regular -ir verb. The futur simple stem is 'partir-', so 'je partirai' means 'I will leave'.
Which of the following is NOT a typical use of the futur simple?
Talking about habitual past actions.
The futur simple is not used for past actions; it is used to talk about future events, predictions, promises, and polite commands.
Examples
| French Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Je finirai mes devoirs ce soir. | I will finish my homework tonight. |
| Nous serons en vacances la semaine prochaine. | We will be on vacation next week. |
| Elles prépareront le dîner. | They will prepare dinner. |
| Tu pourras venir demain ? | Will you be able to come tomorrow? |
| Il saurait la réponse ! | He will know the answer! |
Summary
- Take the infinitive (drop -e for -re verbs) + add endings (-ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont).
- Irregular stems must be memorized.
- Used for simple future actions, predictions, promises, polite commands, and future time clauses.
You now have a comprehensive understanding of the futur simple tense. Practice forming verbs and reading examples to gain confidence in expressing the future in French!
Flashcards (1 of 23)
- Person: je
- English Ending: -will
- English Example: I will speak
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
