A comprehensive guide to the French futur simple tense, including its usage, formation, irregular verbs, time expressions, and common mistakes.
The futur simple is a French verb tense used to express actions that will happen in the future. It is one of the main ways to talk about what “will” occur, make predictions, or express intentions.
Usage
The futur simple is used for:
- Describing actions that will happen (e.g., Je partirai demain — I will leave tomorrow)
- Making predictions (e.g., Il fera beau — It will be nice out)
- Expressing intentions or promises (e.g., Je te téléphonerai — I will call you)
- Stating facts that will be true in the future (e.g., Le train arrivera à 8h — The train will arrive at 8)
It is not used for immediate future actions (where futur proche is more common) or for hypothetical situations (which use the conditional).
Why is the French futur proche tense sometimes preferred over futur simple?
For actions that will happen very soon or immediately.
The futur proche is commonly used for events that are about to happen soon or immediately, often because it sounds more immediate or certain. The futur simple is more general and can refer to more distant future actions.
Formation
The futur simple is formed by adding specific endings to the verb’s infinitive form (for -er and -ir verbs) or to a special stem (for -re and irregular verbs).
Endings
| Pronoun | Ending |
|---|---|
| je | -ai |
| tu | -as |
| il/elle/on | -a |
| nous | -ons |
| vous | -ez |
| ils/elles | -ont |
Regular Stems
- -er verbs: infinitive (e.g., parler)
- -ir verbs: infinitive (e.g., finir)
- -re verbs: remove final “-e” (e.g., vendre → vendr-)
Examples
| Pronoun | French Conjugation (parler) | English Conjugation | Example (fr) | Example (en) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | parlerai | I will speak | Je parlerai demain. | I will speak tomorrow. |
| tu | finiras | you will finish | Tu finiras bientôt. | You will finish soon. |
| il | vendra | he will sell | Il vendra sa voiture. | He will sell his car. |
Irregular Verbs
Some verbs have irregular futur simple stems but use the standard endings. Here are common ones:
| Infinitive | Stem | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| être | ser- | to be |
| avoir | aur- | to have |
| aller | ir- | to go |
| faire | fer- | to do/make |
| pouvoir | pourr- | to be able to |
| vouloir | voudr- | to want |
| venir | viendr- | to come |
| voir | verr- | to see |
| devoir | devr- | to have to |
| envoyer | enverr- | to send |
| courir | courr- | to run |
Examples
| Pronoun | Verb | French Conjugation | English Conjugation | Example (fr) | Example (en) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | être | serai | I will be | Je serai là à 8h. | I will be there at 8. |
| tu | avoir | auras | you will have | Tu auras du temps. | You will have time. |
| il | aller | ira | he will go | Il ira au marché. | He will go to the market. |
| nous | faire | ferons | we will do | Nous ferons un gâteau. | We will make a cake. |
Time Expressions
The futur simple often appears with time expressions that indicate the future:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| demain | tomorrow |
| bientôt | soon |
| la semaine prochaine | next week |
| plus tard | later |
| dans deux jours | in two days |
| quand / lorsque | when |
| dès que | as soon as |
| aussitôt que | as soon as |
Examples
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Je partirai demain. | I will leave tomorrow. |
| Nous finirons bientôt. | We will finish soon. |
| Elle arrivera la semaine prochaine. | She will arrive next week. |
| Quand tu viendras, je serai là. | When you come, I will be there. |
Common Mistakes
- Using the infinitive instead of the correct stem (e.g., aller → j’irai, not je allerai)
- Forgetting to remove the final “-e” in -re verbs (e.g., vendre → vendrai, not vendreai)
- Confusing futur simple with futur proche (e.g., Je partirai vs. Je vais partir)
- Incorrectly spelling or pronouncing irregular stems (e.g., je ferai, not je fesi)
What is wrong with the sentence ‘Je allerai au marché’?
The verb stem is incorrect; it should be ‘j’irai’ (ir- stem), not ‘aller’.
‘aller’ has an irregular futur stem ‘ir-’. The correct form for ‘je’ is ‘j’irai’, not ‘je allerai’.
Conclusion
The futur simple is essential for talking about future events, making predictions, and expressing intentions. Mastering its usage and formation, especially irregular stems, is a key step in progressing your French skills.
Flashcards (1 of 19)
- Pronoun: je
- Example (fr): Je parlerai demain.
- Example (en): I will speak tomorrow.
- English Conjugation: I will speak
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
