A2 Future & Conditional 10 min read Easy

The Two French Futures: Soon vs. Someday (Futur Proche vs. Futur Simple)

Use Futur Proche for immediate reality and Futur Simple for formal intentions or distant dreams.
Mark as Learned
Practice it

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'Futur Proche' for immediate, planned actions and 'Futur Simple' for distant, uncertain, or formal future events.

  • Use 'Aller' + infinitive for things happening soon: 'Je vais manger' (I'm going to eat).
  • Use 'Futur Simple' for distant future: 'Je mangerai' (I will eat).
  • Use 'Futur Simple' in formal writing or when making predictions: 'Il fera beau' (It will be nice).
Futur Proche: [Aller] + [Infinitive] | Futur Simple: [Stem] + [Ending]

Overview

French, like English, offers more than one way to express future events. While English distinguishes between "I am going to eat" (a near future with present intention) and "I will eat" (a more general or distant future), French employs two primary future tenses: the Futur Proche (Near Future) and the Futur Simple (Simple Future). These tenses are not merely interchangeable synonyms for future actions; they convey distinct nuances of immediacy, certainty, and formality.

Understanding when to use each is crucial for natural communication and avoids sounding overly formal or imprecise.

The Futur Proche highlights an action that is imminent, already planned, or based on present evidence, much like English's "going to" construction. It reflects a close psychological and temporal proximity to the moment of speaking. Conversely, the Futur Simple generally refers to actions further in the future, less certain predictions, or serves as the standard for formal expression.

It functions similarly to English's "will" but carries specific implications within French linguistic patterns. Mastering this distinction allows you to articulate future events with native-like precision and nuance.

How This Grammar Works

The choice between Futur Proche and Futur Simple goes beyond mere time indication; it fundamentally reflects the speaker's perspective on the event's certainty, proximity, and the degree of prior planning. This aspectual distinction is a cornerstone of French temporal expression. The Futur Proche signals an action that is either in the process of beginning or firmly decided upon at the moment of utterance.
It communicates a sense of momentum or inevitability based on current circumstances or intent. For example, if you are already walking towards the door, you would say Je vais partir (I am going to leave). This grammatical structure emphasizes the present intention or the impending nature of the action, linking it strongly to the present state.
The Futur Simple, however, detaches the future action more significantly from the present. It describes events that simply will occur at some point, without necessarily implying immediate cause or current resolve. This makes it suitable for broader predictions, promises, or actions that are not yet set in motion.
The Futur Simple is also the default tense for expressing the future in formal contexts, literature, and conditional clauses (si clauses). Linguistically, the Futur Simple is a synthetic tense, forming a single word, which often imparts a sense of finality or definitive statement about future facts. The Futur Proche, being periphrastic (formed with an auxiliary verb), retains a connection to the verb aller (to go), reinforcing its dynamic, forward-moving implication.

Formation Pattern

1
Forming the two French futures follows distinct and clear patterns, though the Futur Simple introduces irregular stems you must memorize.
2
Futur Proche (Near Future)
3
This tense is straightforward and relies on the present tense conjugation of the verb aller (to go) followed by the infinitive of the main verb. The only verb that changes is aller.
4
Structure: aller (conjugated in the present tense) + infinitive
5
| Subject | aller (Présent) | + Infinitive Example (manger) | English Translation |
6
| :------- | :---------------- | :------------------------------ | :---------------------------- |
7
| Je | vais | Je vais manger | I am going to eat |
8
| Tu | vas | Tu vas manger | You are going to eat |
9
| Il/Elle/On | va | Il va manger | He/She/One is going to eat |
10
| Nous | allons | Nous allons manger | We are going to eat |
11
| Vous | allez | Vous allez manger | You are going to eat |
12
| Ils/Elles | vont | Ils vont manger | They are going to eat |
13
Demain, je vais visiter ma grand-mère. (Tomorrow, I am going to visit my grandmother.)
14
Regarde les nuages, il va pleuvoir. (Look at the clouds, it's going to rain.)
15
Futur Simple (Simple Future)
16
This tense is formed by taking the appropriate stem and adding specific future endings. For most verbs, the stem is the infinitive itself. However, for verbs ending in -re, you drop the final -e before adding the endings. For a significant number of irregular verbs, the stem changes completely, requiring memorization.
17
Structure: Infinitive (or modified stem) + Future Endings
18
Future Endings:
19
| Subject | Ending |
20
| :------------ | :----- |
21
| Je | -ai |
22
| Tu | -as |
23
| Il/Elle/On | -a |
24
| Nous | -ons |
25
| Vous | -ez |
26
| Ils/Elles | -ont |
27
Regular Verbs (e.g., -er and -ir verbs like parler, finir):
28
| Subject | parler (Infinitive) | finir (Infinitive) | English Translation |
29
| :------------ | :-------------------- | :------------------- | :------------------ |\
30
| Je | Je parlerai | Je finirai | I will speak/finish |\
31
| Tu | Tu parleras | Tu finiras | You will speak/finish |\
32
| Il/Elle/On | Il parlera | Il finira | He/She/One will speak/finish |\
33
| Nous | Nous parlerons | Nous finirons | We will speak/finish |\
34
| Vous | Vous parlerez | Vous finirez | You will speak/finish |\
35
| Ils/Elles | Ils parleront | Ils finiront | They will speak/finish |
36
Verbs ending in -re (e.g., vendre, prendre): Drop the final -e from the infinitive.
37
| Subject | vendre (Stem vendr-) | English Translation |
38
| :------------ | :----------------------- | :--------------------- |\
39
| Je | Je vendras | I will sell |\
40
| Tu | Tu vendras | You will sell |\
41
| Il/Elle/On | Il vendra | He/She/One will sell |\
42
| Nous | Nous vendrons | We will sell |\
43
| Vous | Vous vendrez | You will sell |\
44
| Ils/Elles | Ils vendront | They will sell |
45
Common Irregular Stems: These verbs have entirely different stems in the Futur Simple. The endings remain the same.
46
| Infinitive | Future Stem | Example (Je) | English Translation |
47
| :------------ | :---------- | :------------------- | :------------------ |\
48
| aller | ir- | J'irai | I will go |\
49
| avoir | aur- | J'aurai | I will have |\
50
| être | ser- | Je serai | I will be |\
51
| faire | fer- | Je ferai | I will do/make |\
52
| savoir | saur- | Je saurai | I will know |\
53
| pouvoir | pourr- | Je pourrai | I will be able to |\
54
| vouloir | voudr- | Je voudrai | I will want |\
55
| venir | viendr- | Je viendrai | I will come |\
56
| voir | verr- | Je verrai | I will see |\
57
| devoir | devr- | Je devrai | I will have to |\
58
| envoyer | enverr- | J'enverrai | I will send |\
59
| mourir | mourr- | Je mourrai | I will die |\
60
| courir | courr- | Je courrai | I will run |\
61
| tenir | tiendr- | Je tiendrai | I will hold |
62
Quand tu seras prêt, nous partirons. (When you will be ready, we will leave.) - Note: être and partir in Futur Simple.
63
J'espère que tu viendras à la fête. (I hope you will come to the party.)

When To Use It

The nuanced distinction between Futur Proche and Futur Simple is less about strict chronological time and more about the speaker's perception of an action's imminence, certainty, and the context of the communication.
Use Futur Proche for:
  • Imminent Actions & Immediate Plans: When an action is about to happen very soon, often within moments, hours, or days. This is the 'going to' future.
  • Je vais prendre un café. (I'm going to have a coffee, perhaps right now.)
  • Nous allons manger dans un instant. (We're going to eat in a moment.)
  • Actions Based on Present Evidence: When you can observe something in the present that indicates a future event with high certainty.
  • Le ciel est très sombre, il va pleuvoir. (The sky is very dark, it's going to rain.)
  • Attention, tu vas tomber ! (Careful, you're going to fall!)
  • Firm, Decided Plans: For plans that are concrete and fixed, even if they are not immediately upcoming. The emphasis is on the decision already made.
  • L'année prochaine, nous allons acheter une maison. (Next year, we are going to buy a house.) - The decision has been made.
  • Ce week-end, ils vont visiter Paris. (This weekend, they are going to visit Paris.) - The tickets are booked.
  • Spoken, Informal French: In everyday conversation, the Futur Proche is overwhelmingly preferred, even for more distant future events, when the speaker wants to convey a sense of immediacy or a definite plan. This is a key aspect of modern spoken French.
Use Futur Simple for:
  • Distant Future Actions: For events that are further away in time, less directly linked to the present moment, or more general predictions.
  • Un jour, je parlerai couramment français. (One day, I will speak French fluently.)
  • Dans vingt ans, le monde sera très différent. (In twenty years, the world will be very different.)
  • General Predictions & Statements: When making predictions without strong present evidence, or stating general truths about the future.
  • Le temps changera vite en montagne. (The weather will change quickly in the mountains.)
  • Après les études, tu trouveras un bon emploi. (After your studies, you will find a good job.)
  • Formal Contexts & Written Language: The Futur Simple is considered more formal and polished. It is typically used in official documents, literature, news reports, and formal correspondence.
  • Vous recevrez les résultats par courrier. (You will receive the results by mail.)
  • Le conseil d'administration votera sur cette proposition. (The board of directors will vote on this proposal.)
  • Promises & Commitments: For expressing strong promises, pledges, or commitments.
  • Je te le promets, je ferai de mon mieux. (I promise you, I will do my best.)
  • Nous répondrons à toutes vos questions. (We will answer all your questions.)
  • Si Clauses (Conditional Type 1): When expressing a real possibility, the si (if) clause uses the present tense, and the main clause uses the Futur Simple.
  • Si tu étudies, tu réussiras. (If you study, you will succeed.)
  • S'il fait beau, nous irons à la plage. (If the weather is nice, we will go to the beach.)

Common Mistakes

Navigating the two French futures presents several common pitfalls for learners. Being aware of these will significantly improve your accuracy.
  • Forgetting to conjugate aller in Futur Proche: A frequent error is leaving aller in the infinitive or incorrectly conjugating it. Remember, aller must agree with the subject in the present tense.
  • Incorrect: Je aller manger.
  • Correct: Je vais manger. (I am going to eat.)
  • Incorrect: Nous aller étudier.
  • Correct: Nous allons étudier. (We are going to study.)
  • Missing the 'R' in Futur Simple stems: Many verbs' future stems end in -r (from the infinitive). Forgetting this r transforms the word into a different tense or makes it grammatically incorrect. For instance, je parle (present) vs. je parlerai (future).
  • Incorrect: Je parleai. (Missing r from parler)
  • Correct: Je parlerai. (I will speak.)
  • Incorrect: Tu finias.
  • Correct: Tu finiras. (You will finish.)
  • Confusing Futur Simple endings (-ai) with Conditionnel Présent endings (-ais): These endings differ by only one letter (-s) but change the meaning from a definite future to a hypothetical conditional.
  • Je ferai. (I will do.) - Futur Simple
  • Je ferais. (I would do.) - Conditionnel Présent
  • The s is silent in both cases, but crucial in writing.
  • Incorrect Irregular Stems in Futur Simple: The irregular verbs in Futur Simple must be memorized. Using the infinitive as the stem for these verbs is a common mistake.
  • Incorrect: Je êtreai.
  • Correct: Je serai. (I will be.)
  • Incorrect: Ils avoiront.
  • Correct: Ils auront. (They will have.)
  • Overusing Futur Simple in casual spoken contexts: While grammatically correct, using Futur Simple in informal conversations for imminent actions can sound overly formal or even old-fashioned to native speakers. Futur Proche is generally more natural for everyday spoken plans.
  • Instead of: Je mangerai avec toi dans 5 minutes. (I will eat with you in 5 minutes.)
  • Prefer: Je vais manger avec toi dans 5 minutes. (I'm going to eat with you in 5 minutes.)
  • Negation Placement: In Futur Proche, ne...pas surrounds the conjugated aller. In Futur Simple, ne...pas surrounds the entire conjugated verb.
  • Il ne va pas venir. (He is not coming.)
  • Il ne viendra pas. (He will not come.)

Contrast With Similar Patterns

Understanding the distinct roles of Futur Proche and Futur Simple is further illuminated by comparing them with other similar-sounding or functionally related grammatical structures in French.

Futur Proche vs. Present Tense with Future Adverb: French allows the present tense to express future actions, especially when accompanied by a future adverb like demain (tomorrow) or la semaine prochaine (next week). This usage often implies a very firm, unchangeable plan or schedule, akin to English

Futur Proche (Aller + Infinitive)

Subject Aller Infinitive
Je
vais
manger
Tu
vas
manger
Il/Elle
va
manger
Nous
allons
manger
Vous
allez
manger
Ils/Elles
vont
manger

Futur Simple Endings

Subject Ending
Je
-ai
Tu
-as
Il/Elle
-a
Nous
-ons
Vous
-ez
Ils/Elles
-ont

Meanings

The distinction between immediate, planned future actions and distant, predictive, or formal future events.

1

Immediate Future

Actions planned for the near future or immediate intentions.

“Je vais étudier ce soir.”

“Nous allons regarder un film.”

2

Distant Future

Events occurring in the far future or hypothetical scenarios.

“Je voyagerai au Japon dans dix ans.”

“Il réussira ses examens.”

3

Formal Prediction

Making a statement about the future that is not necessarily a personal plan.

“La technologie changera le monde.”

“Il fera froid demain.”

Reference Table

Reference table for The Two French Futures: Soon vs. Someday (Futur Proche vs. Futur Simple)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative (Proche)
Aller + Inf
Je vais partir
Negative (Proche)
Ne + Aller + Pas + Inf
Je ne vais pas partir
Question (Proche)
Est-ce que + Aller + Inf
Est-ce que tu vas partir ?
Affirmative (Simple)
Inf + Ending
Je partirai
Negative (Simple)
Ne + Verb + Pas
Je ne partirai pas
Question (Simple)
Verb + Subject
Partiras-tu ?

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Je vous appellerai.

Je vous appellerai. (Communication)

Neutral
Je vais vous appeler.

Je vais vous appeler. (Communication)

Informal
Je vais t'appeler.

Je vais t'appeler. (Communication)

Slang
Je t'appelle.

Je t'appelle. (Communication)

Future Tense Map

French Future

Futur Proche

  • Aller To go
  • Intention Plan

Futur Simple

  • Endings Suffixes
  • Prediction Distant
Sign up free to read full explanation

Examples by Level

1

Je vais manger.

I am going to eat.

1

Nous allons partir demain.

We are going to leave tomorrow.

2

Je finirai ce livre plus tard.

I will finish this book later.

3

Tu vas faire tes devoirs ?

Are you going to do your homework?

4

Il ne viendra pas.

He will not come.

1

Si j'ai le temps, je t'appellerai.

If I have time, I will call you.

2

La réunion commencera à dix heures.

The meeting will start at ten.

3

Nous allons essayer de résoudre ce problème.

We are going to try to solve this problem.

4

Ils ne vont pas accepter cette offre.

They are not going to accept this offer.

1

Je travaillerai sans relâche pour réussir.

I will work tirelessly to succeed.

2

Il est probable qu'il pleuvra demain.

It is likely that it will rain tomorrow.

3

Nous allons mettre en place une nouvelle stratégie.

We are going to implement a new strategy.

4

Tu ne feras pas cette erreur deux fois.

You will not make this mistake twice.

1

Dès que je serai prêt, je vous contacterai.

As soon as I am ready, I will contact you.

2

Il fera preuve de courage dans cette épreuve.

He will show courage in this trial.

3

Nous allons procéder à une analyse approfondie.

We are going to proceed with an in-depth analysis.

4

On ne saura jamais la vérité.

We will never know the truth.

1

Il adviendra ce qu'il adviendra.

Whatever will be, will be.

2

La situation évoluera selon les circonstances.

The situation will evolve according to circumstances.

3

Nous allons nous atteler à cette tâche complexe.

We are going to tackle this complex task.

4

Nul ne contestera cette décision.

No one will contest this decision.

Easily Confused

The Two French Futures: Soon vs. Someday (Futur Proche vs. Futur Simple) vs Futur Proche vs. Present Tense

Present tense is often used for the future in French.

Common Mistakes

✗

Je vais mangerai

✓

Je vais manger

Don't combine both futures.
✗

Je mangerai demain

✓

Je vais manger demain

Futur Simple is too formal for tomorrow.
✗

J'avoirai

✓

J'aurai

Use the irregular stem.
✗

Je vais aller à la lune

✓

J'irai à la lune

Futur Proche is too immediate for a distant dream.

Sentence Patterns

Je vais ___ demain.

Real World Usage

Texting constant

On va au ciné ?

Job Interview common

Je travaillerai dur.

Sign up free to see all examples
💡

Keep it simple

Use 'Futur Proche' for 90% of your daily speaking.

Smart Tips

Use 'Futur Proche' to sound natural.

Je partirai demain. → Je vais partir demain.

Pronunciation

/nu.z‿a.lɔ̃/

Liaison

In 'Nous allons', the 's' of 'nous' is pronounced as a 'z'.

Question

Tu vas partir ? ↑

Rising intonation for yes/no questions.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Proche is for the 'now', Simple is for the 'far'.

Visual Association

Imagine a clock ticking fast for 'Futur Proche' (near) and a telescope looking at stars for 'Futur Simple' (far).

Rhyme

Proche is near, Simple is far, use them right, wherever you are.

Story

Pierre is hungry. He says 'Je vais manger' (Futur Proche) because he is going to the kitchen right now. Later, he dreams of his future: 'Je voyagerai' (Futur Simple) to the moon.

Word Web

AllerDemainBientôtPlus tardUn jourProchain

Challenge

Write 3 sentences about your day using 'Futur Proche' and 3 about your life in 5 years using 'Futur Simple'.

Cultural Notes

French speakers prefer 'Futur Proche' in almost all spoken contexts.

Similar to France, but 'aller' is sometimes shortened in very casual speech.

Standard French rules apply, but 'Futur Simple' is often used in formal speeches.

Futur Proche comes from the Latin 'vado ad' (I go to).

Conversation Starters

“

Qu'est-ce que tu vas faire ce soir ?

“

Où habiteras-tu dans dix ans ?

Journal Prompts

Describe your plans for the weekend.
Write a letter to your future self in 10 years.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Sign up free to see all tips

Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

Je ___ manger.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vais
Je goes with vais.

Score: /1

Practice Exercises

1 exercises
Fill in the blank.

Je ___ manger.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: vais
Je goes with vais.

Score: /1

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Complete the Futur Simple sentence. Fill in the Blank

Je (finir) ___ ce rapport plus tard.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: finirai
Correct the verb for 'aller' + infinitive. Error Correction

Elles allons chanter ce soir.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elles vont chanter ce soir.
Put the words in the correct order for Futur Proche. Sentence Reorder

vais / au / Je / foot / jouer

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je vais jouer au foot
Translate into French using Futur Simple. Translation

I will be happy.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je serai heureux.
Which one is a near future action? Multiple Choice

Select the sentence happening very soon:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je vais prendre une douche.
Match the pronoun to the Futur Simple ending. Match Pairs

Match the pairs:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je -> -ai
Use the irregular stem of 'faire' for Futur Simple. Fill in the Blank

Demain, nous ___ nos devoirs.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ferons
Fix the ending for 'vous' in Futur Simple. Error Correction

Vous partira demain ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Vous partirez demain ?
Reorder the formal prediction. Sentence Reorder

pleuvra / demain / Il / probablement

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il pleuvra probablement demain
Translate 'She is going to call' (Futur Proche). Translation

She is going to call.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elle va appeler.

Score: /10

FAQ (1)

Yes, but it sounds formal.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

Sign up free to practice

In Other Languages

Spanish high

ir a + infinitive

Spanish uses the simple future more often than French.

German moderate

werden + infinitive

German doesn't have a 'near' future structure.

Japanese low

Present tense + time marker

No verb conjugation for future.

Arabic partial

sa- prefix

Arabic is highly synthetic.

Chinese low

yào

No tense conjugation.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Irregular Future Stems: Coming, Seeing & Being Able (venir, voir, pouvoir)

Related Videos

The Future Tense in French: futur proche or futur simple? 13:50 YouTube

The Future Tense in French: futur proche or futur simple?

Learn French With Alexa

Related Grammar Rules

A1

French Near Future: I am going to... (Futur Proche)

Overview The `Futur Proche` (Near Future) in French is a fundamental grammatical construction used to express actions de...
A2

French Future Tense: Making Plans (Futur Simple)

Overview The `futur simple`, or **simple future tense**, is an essential component of French grammar, used to express ac...
B1

French Wishes & Dreams (Conditionnel Présent)

Overview The `Conditionnel Présent` (Conditional Present) in French is a grammatical mood used to express actions or sta...
A2

Conditional with 'pouvoir': Polite Requests (pourrais)

Overview The French conditional tense, particularly with the verb `pouvoir` (to be able to), serves as a fundamental too...
A2

French Irregular Future Stems (être, avoir, aller, faire)

Overview The **futur simple** (simple future) in French is used to express actions, events, or states that will occur in...
Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!