Key points about the simple future in French
All French verbs can be A verb that has changed from the infinitive to show which person or people are doing the action or the tense the verb is in. to form the simple future tense.
The simple future tense in French is used to express ‘I will + verb’ in English.
Most verbs are A regular verb follows a set pattern. in the future tense but there are some very commonly used An irregular verb does not follow a set pattern. ones, such as ê³Ù°ù±ð (to be), avoir (to have), aller (to go) and faire (to do/make).
Forming the simple future of regular '-er' verbs
The simple future describes what will happen for predictions and future plans.
To form the simple future of regular -er verbs, take the infinitive and add the following endings:
| Subject pronoun | Future ending | Example -er verbs | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| je | -ai | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I will eat |
| tu | -as | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you (informal singular) will look |
| il | -a | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | he will play |
| elle | -a | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | she will speak |
| on | -a | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | one will/we will arrive |
| nous | -ons | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | we will win |
| vous | -ez | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you (formal singular or plural) will ask |
| ils | -ont | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | they (masculine or mixed) will sing |
| elles | -ont | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | they (feminine) will forget |
For example:
Nous mangerons au restaurant si tu veux. – We will eat in the restaurant if you want.
Elle jouera au foot le week-end prochain si elle va mieux. – She will play football next weekend if she is feeling better.
Forming the simple future tense - Mini quiz
Apporter means ‘to bring’. What is the French translation of the following phrase?
I will bring
´³â€™a±è±è´Ç°ù³Ù±ð°ù²¹¾±
´¡±è±è°ù鳦¾±±ð°ù means ‘to appreciate’. Which verb form completes the following sentence correctly?
Rachid _________ le cadeau. (Rachid will appreciate the present.)
Rachid appréciera le cadeau.
The simple future of irregular verbs
Some very common verbs are irregular in the simple future. This means that they are not formed using the infinitive, but the endings added are the same as for regular verbs.
The simple future of 'ê³Ù°ù±ð'
The simple future endings for ê³Ù°ù±ð (to be) are added to ser-.
| Subject pronouns | Verb form | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I will be |
| tu | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you will be |
| il | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | he will be |
| elle | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | she will be |
| on | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | one/we will be |
For example:
Je serai célèbre. – I will be famous.
Le magasin sera fermé. – The shop will be closed.
The simple future of 'avoir'
The simple future endings for avoir (to have) are added to aur-.
| Subject pronouns | Verb form | English |
|---|---|---|
| j' | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I will have |
| tu | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you will have |
| il | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | he will have |
| elle | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | she will have |
| on | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | one/we will have |
The simple future forms of avoir can be used in the same way as ‘will have’ in English. They are also used when the verb translates to ‘will be’ in certain expressions, such as avoir faim (to be hungry), avoir … ans (to be … years old) and avoir chaud (to be hot).
For example:
Tu auras assez d’argent ? – Will you have enough money?
L’organisation aura beaucoup de clients. – The organisation will have many clients.
On aura froid en hiver. – We will be cold in winter.
J’aurai dix-sept ans l’année prochaine. – I will be 17 years old next year.
The simple future of 'aller'
The simple future endings for aller (to go) are added to ir-.
| Subject pronouns | Verb form | English |
|---|---|---|
| j' | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I will go |
| tu | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you will go |
| il | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | he will go |
| elle | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | she will go |
| on | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | one/we will go |
For example:
J’irai au marché demain. – I will go to the market tomorrow.
On ira à l’hôpital bientôt. – We will go to the hospital soon.
The simple future of 'faire'
The simple future endings for faire (to do/make) are added to fer-.
| Subject pronouns | Verb form | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | I will do/make |
| tu | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | you will do/make |
| il | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | he will do/make |
| elle | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | she will do/make |
| on | Check your connection, refresh the page and try again. | one/we will do/make |
For example:
Elle dit qu’elle fera ses devoirs ce soir. – She says that she will do her homework this evening.
Je ferai du sport au stade. – I will do sport in the stadium.
Il fera froid au Canada. – It will be cold in Canada.
The simple future of irregular verbs - Mini quiz
Add the correct form of ê³Ù°ù±ð (to be) to complete the following sentence:
Tu ______ en France le mois prochain. (You will be in France next month.)
Tu seras en France le mois prochain.
Higher Tier - Quiz - The simple future
Practise what you've learned about the simple future in French with this Higher Tier quiz.
Now you’ve learned about the simple future in French, why not explore negative forms?
More on Future and conditional verbs
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