French Irregular Future Stems (être, avoir, aller, faire)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
While most verbs use the infinitive as a stem, these four verbs change their root entirely before adding future endings.
- Être becomes 'ser-' (e.g., Je serai - I will be).
- Avoir becomes 'aur-' (e.g., J'aurai - I will have).
- Aller becomes 'ir-' (e.g., J'irai - I will go) and Faire becomes 'fer-' (e.g., Je ferai - I will do).
Overview
The futur simple (simple future) in French is used to express actions, events, or states that will occur in the future. For the vast majority of French verbs, its formation is remarkably straightforward: you generally take the infinitive form of the verb and append a set of consistent endings. However, four verbs, due to their ancient origins, high frequency, and historical phonetic evolution, deviate from this regular pattern: être (to be), avoir (to have), aller (to go), and faire (to do/make).
These verbs possess unique, irregular future stems that must be memorized. While their stems are unpredictable, the good news is that they still utilize the same standard future endings as regular verbs. Understanding and mastering these four irregular verbs is fundamental at the A2 level, as they are indispensable for expressing future intentions, predictions, and plans in French.
Conjugation Table
| Verb | Stem | Je | Tu | Il/Elle/On | Nous | Vous | Ils/Elles | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :------- | :----- | :----------- | :---------- | :----------- | :------------ | :------------ | :------------- | ||
être |
ser- |
je serai |
tu seras |
il sera |
nous serons |
vous serez |
ils seront |
||
avoir |
aur- |
j'aurai |
tu auras |
il aura |
nous aurons |
vous aurez |
ils auront |
||
aller |
ir- |
j'irai |
tu iras |
il ira |
nous irons |
vous irez |
ils iront |
||
faire |
fer- |
je ferai |
tu feras |
il fera |
nous ferons |
vous ferez |
ils feront |
How This Grammar Works
être, avoir, aller, and faire in the futur simple stems from their historical evolution from Latin. Unlike regular verbs that maintain their infinitive as a base, these high-frequency verbs underwent phonetic changes over centuries, resulting in shortened or altered stems. This is a common linguistic phenomenon for fundamental verbs across many languages.être, ser-, derives from the Latin verb esse (to be), specifically its future infinitive fore or later forms like sĕro. Similarly, avoir's stem aur- comes from the Latin habere (to have), related to forms like habuero. The stem ir- for aller comes from the Latin ire (to go), which had a very different conjugation from the modern French infinitive.faire's stem fer- is a reduction of the Latin facere (to do/make), often seen in its past participle factum or related verbs.-ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont. This consistency is crucial. These endings are not arbitrary; they are derived directly from the present tense conjugations of the verb avoir (to have): j'ai, tu as, il a, nous avons, vous avez, ils ont.avoir, minus its initial av- or h-. This linguistic shortcut means that once you master the irregular stems, the endings are already familiar, simplifying the overall learning process for the futur simple.-ai ending, as in je serai, is pronounced like the ai in lait (milk), a relatively open 'eh' sound. This contrasts with the -ais ending found in the conditional or imperfect, which has a slightly more closed 'ay' sound.s in tu seras and the final t in ils seront are silent, typical of French phonetics. However, if the following word begins with a vowel or mute h, a liaison occurs, connecting the consonant to the next word, e.g., vous serez_à l'heure (you will be on time), where the z sound is pronounced.Formation Pattern
être, avoir, aller, and faire is a two-step process, once their irregular stems are committed to memory. This systematic approach ensures accurate conjugation every time.
être | ser- |
avoir| aur- |
aller| ir- |
faire| fer- |
avoir:
Je | -ai |
Tu | -as |
Il/Elle/On | -a |
Nous | -ons |
Vous | -ez |
Ils/Elles | -ont |
faire for nous: you take the stem fer- and add the nous ending -ons, resulting in nous ferons. For avoir with je, the stem aur- plus -ai forms j'aurai (with contraction). This formula, Irregular Stem + Future Ending, is the guiding principle for these verbs in the futur simple.
Je (être) -> ser- + -ai -> je serai (I will be)
Tu (avoir) -> aur- + -as -> tu auras (You will have)
Elle (aller) -> ir- + -a -> elle ira (She will go)
Nous (faire) -> fer- + -ons -> nous ferons (We will do)
When To Use It
- Predictions and Forecasts: When discussing what is expected to happen, particularly in less immediate contexts.
Demain, il fera froid dans le Nord.(Tomorrow, it will be cold in the North.)Un jour, tu auras l'occasion de voyager.(One day, you will have the opportunity to travel.)- Statements of Fact about the Future: For events that are certain or planned far in advance.
La réunion sera à 10h.(The meeting will be at 10 AM.)L'année prochaine, nous irons en Espagne.(Next year, we will go to Spain.)- Promises and Intentions: When expressing a firm commitment or a personal intention.
Je ferai de mon mieux pour t'aider.(I will do my best to help you.)Je serai là, ne t'inquiète pas.(I will be there, don't worry.)- Hypothetical Situations (First Conditional): In
si(if) clauses where the condition is realistic and its consequence is in the future. Si tu étudies, tu auras de bonnes notes.(If you study, you will have good grades.)Si tu vas au marché, fais attention aux prix.(If you go to the market, pay attention to the prices.) - Note: The 'if' clause here is in the present, but the consequence, while an imperative, could easily be a future action. More apt example:Si tu viens, nous ferons un gâteau.(If you come, we will make a cake.)- Formal Contexts: Often preferred in written communication, official announcements, news reports, and literary works for a more formal tone.
J'irai à Paris. (I will go to Paris.). This implies a plan for the more distant future or a general intention.Je vais aller à Paris. (I am going to go to Paris.) suggests a more immediate or definite near-future plan. This nuanced distinction allows speakers to convey differing degrees of immediacy and formality in their expressions of future events. Culturally, the use of futur simple in personal statements often indicates a stronger, more committed intent.Common Mistakes
être, avoir, aller, and faire in the futur simple. Recognizing these common errors and understanding their underlying reasons is crucial for accurate communication.- 1Using the Infinitive as the Stem: The most frequent error is treating these irregular verbs like regular ones by adding future endings directly to the infinitive. Forgetting the irregular stem leads to incorrect forms.
- Incorrect:
*Je allerai(instead ofj'irai) - Incorrect:
*Tu êtras(instead oftu seras) - Reason: The unique stems (
ir-,ser-,aur-,fer-) must override the infinitive base for these specific verbs. This is a memorization issue rather than a rule application one.
- 1Confusing
faire's Stem: Thefer-stem forfaireis often misremembered, sometimes leading to an incorrect retention of theaifrom the infinitivefaire.
- Incorrect:
*Je fairai(instead ofje ferai) - Reason: The
aiinfairetransforms intoein the future stemfer-. This single letter change requires precise memorization.
- 1Mixing Up Endings (Futur vs. Conditionnel/Imparfait): While the stems for the futur simple and conditionnel présent are identical, their endings are distinct. Confusing
-ai(future) with-ais(conditional/imperfect) is a common error that alters the meaning significantly.
- Incorrect:
*J'aurais(meaning 'I would have') when intendingj'aurai('I will have'). - Reason: The subtle phonetic difference between the open 'eh' sound of
-aiand the closed 'ay' sound of-ais, combined with the visual similarity of the endings, causes confusion. This often shifts a definitive future statement into a hypothetical one.
- 1Pronunciation Errors (Silent Letters and Liaisons): Neglecting silent letters or failing to perform liaisons can make speech sound less natural or create ambiguity.
- Incorrect: Pronouncing the
sintu irasor thetinils feront. - Reason: French has many silent final consonants. However, failing to perform an obligatory liaison, such as in
nous serons_en retard(we will be late), can break the natural flow of speech. Practice actively listening for and reproducing these phonetic patterns.
- 1Over-reliance on
Futur Proche: While acceptable in informal speech, consistently usingaller+ infinitive (futur proche) for all future expressions can make your French sound less sophisticated or too informal for certain contexts.
- Example: Always saying
Je vais faire mes devoirsinstead ofJe ferai mes devoirs(I will do my homework), even for a distant task. - Reason: The futur simple conveys a more formal, definitive, or long-term future. Native speakers judiciously choose between the two tenses based on context, immediacy, and desired tone.
Contrast With Similar Patterns
aller + an infinitive verb (e.g., je vais parler). It denotes actions that are imminent or very certain to happen soon. The futur simple, conversely, refers to actions further in the future, predictions, or more formal statements of intent, often carrying a stronger sense of certainty or a definitive tone.j'irai, je ferai) | Futur Proche (je vais aller, je vais faire) |Aller (present) + infinitive |L'examen sera difficile. (The exam will be difficult.) | L'examen va être difficile. (The exam is going to be difficult.) |Nous ferons un voyage l'année prochaine. (We will take a trip next year.) | Nous allons faire les courses. (We are going to do the groceries.) |être, avoir, aller, and faire use the exact same irregular stems for both tenses. The differentiating factor lies solely in their endings.je serai, j'aurai) | Conditionnel Présent (je serais, j'aurais) |-ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont) | Irregular stem + imperfect ending (-ais, -ais, -ait, -ions, -iez, -aient) |Je serai là à 8h. (I will be there at 8 AM.) | Je serais là si je pouvais. (I would be there if I could.) |Tu auras un cadeau. (You will have a gift.) | Tu aurais un cadeau si tu venais. (You would have a gift if you came.) |-ai is more open ('eh') | -ais is slightly more closed ('ay') |Real Conversations
Even with the pervasive use of the futur proche in informal French, the futur simple with its irregular stems remains a vital and frequently used tense across various conversational contexts, from casual planning to professional exchanges. It conveys a specific tone of certainty, formal planning, or a more distant future perspective.
- Planning with Friends (Text/Chat):
- On ira voir le nouveau film ce week-end ? (We'll go see the new movie this weekend?)
- Oui, je serai dispo samedi soir. (Yes, I'll be available Saturday evening.)
- D'accord, je te ferai signe pour l'heure. (Okay, I'll let you know about the time.)
- Work Email/Meeting (Formal):
- Je serai en télétravail demain, mais je ferai un point sur le projet en fin de journée. (I will be working remotely tomorrow, but I will review the project at the end of the day.)
- Vous aurez les documents nécessaires d'ici la fin de la semaine. (You will have the necessary documents by the end of the week.)
- Everyday Situations (Spoken):
- T'auras le temps de passer chez le boulanger ? (Will you have time to stop by the bakery?) - Note the informal t' contraction for tu and auras for 'will you have'.
- Non, je n'irai pas. Il fera trop chaud. (No, I won't go. It will be too hot.)
- Social Media/General Statements:
- La nouvelle saison de ma série préférée sera incroyable ! (The new season of my favorite show will be incredible!)
- On fera une belle fête pour ton anniversaire ! (We'll throw a great party for your birthday!)
In these examples, the futur simple implies a definite plan or prediction, often for something that isn't immediate but is established. The choice of futur simple over futur proche sometimes subtly signals a more considered or official tone, even in casual settings. Observing native speakers' choices between these future tenses will sharpen your intuition for their appropriate usage.
Progressive Practice
Consistent and varied practice is essential for internalizing the irregular future stems and their application. Focus on a layered approach, moving from basic memorization to active sentence construction and contextual usage.
Stem Memorization Drills:
- Flashcards: Create physical or digital flashcards with the infinitive on one side (être) and its future stem on the other (ser-). Regularly drill these until recall is instantaneous.
- Mnemonics: Develop personal mnemonic devices. For example, aller -> ir-:
Future Simple Irregular Conjugation
| Pronoun | Être (ser-) | Avoir (aur-) | Aller (ir-) | Faire (fer-) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Je
|
serai
|
aurai
|
irai
|
ferai
|
|
Tu
|
seras
|
auras
|
iras
|
feras
|
|
Il/Elle
|
sera
|
aura
|
ira
|
fera
|
|
Nous
|
serons
|
aurons
|
irons
|
ferons
|
|
Vous
|
serez
|
aurez
|
irez
|
ferez
|
|
Ils/Elles
|
seront
|
auront
|
iront
|
feront
|
Meanings
These verbs are used to describe future states, possessions, movements, or actions that do not follow the standard infinitive-based future conjugation.
Future State/Existence
Using 'être' to describe a future condition.
“Je serai prêt.”
“Nous serons heureux.”
Future Possession
Using 'avoir' to describe what you will have.
“J'aurai une voiture.”
“Tu auras le temps.”
Future Movement
Using 'aller' to describe future travel.
“J'irai au cinéma.”
“Nous irons à la plage.”
Future Action
Using 'faire' to describe future tasks.
“Je ferai mes devoirs.”
“Tu feras un gâteau.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Stem + ending
|
Je serai là.
|
|
Negative
|
ne + stem + ending + pas
|
Je ne serai pas là.
|
|
Question (Inv)
|
Stem + ending + pronoun?
|
Serez-vous là?
|
|
Question (Est-ce)
|
Est-ce que + stem + ending?
|
Est-ce que vous serez là?
|
|
Short Answer
|
Oui/Non + pronoun + verb
|
Oui, je le serai.
|
|
Future Perfect
|
Aux. (futur) + P.P.
|
J'aurai fini.
|
Formality Spectrum
Je serai présent. (Meeting)
Je serai là. (Meeting)
Je serai là. (Meeting)
J'y serai. (Meeting)
The Future Irregular Stems
Être
- ser- to be
Avoir
- aur- to have
Aller
- ir- to go
Faire
- fer- to do/make
Examples by Level
Je serai là.
I will be there.
J'aurai un chat.
I will have a cat.
J'irai à Paris.
I will go to Paris.
Je ferai du sport.
I will do sports.
Nous serons en vacances.
We will be on vacation.
Tu auras besoin d'aide.
You will need help.
Ils iront au cinéma.
They will go to the cinema.
Vous ferez vos devoirs.
You will do your homework.
Si j'ai le temps, j'irai au musée.
If I have time, I will go to the museum.
Elle sera ravie de vous voir.
She will be delighted to see you.
Nous aurons fini avant midi.
We will have finished before noon.
Ils feront de leur mieux.
They will do their best.
Dès qu'il sera prêt, nous partirons.
As soon as he is ready, we will leave.
Vous aurez l'occasion de visiter le site.
You will have the opportunity to visit the site.
J'irai là-bas quand j'aurai mon billet.
I will go there when I have my ticket.
Il fera tout pour réussir ce projet.
He will do everything to succeed in this project.
Quand nous serons arrivés, nous vous appellerons.
When we have arrived, we will call you.
Il aura beau essayer, il ne réussira pas.
No matter how much he tries, he will not succeed.
Nous irons où le vent nous mènera.
We will go where the wind leads us.
Elle fera en sorte que tout soit parfait.
She will ensure that everything is perfect.
Sera-ce suffisant pour convaincre le jury ?
Will it be enough to convince the jury?
Quoi qu'il advienne, nous aurons agi avec intégrité.
Whatever happens, we will have acted with integrity.
J'irai jusqu'au bout de mes convictions.
I will go to the end of my convictions.
Ferez-vous preuve de patience ?
Will you show patience?
Easily Confused
Learners mix up 'Je serai' and 'Je vais être'.
They look similar because they use the same stems.
Using present for future events.
Common Mistakes
êtreai
serai
avoirai
aurai
allerai
irai
faireai
ferai
nous seronsons
nous serons
ils ironts
ils iront
je ne serai
je ne serai pas
si j'irai
si j'y vais
quand j'aurai fini
quand j'aurai fini
il sera aller
il ira
il fera que je sois
il fera en sorte que je sois
je serai d'accord
je serai d'accord
il aura été fait
il aura été fait
Sentence Patterns
Demain, je ___ à la maison.
Plus tard, j'___ beaucoup d'argent.
La semaine prochaine, nous ___ en Italie.
Il ___ tout pour réussir.
Real World Usage
J'aurai besoin d'une chambre.
Je serai disponible dès lundi.
J'irai au ciné ce soir.
Je ferai un live demain !
J'aurai ma commande à 20h.
Nous serons en cours demain.
The 'R' Rule
Don't use the infinitive
Conditional Link
Formal vs Informal
Smart Tips
Use the future simple for formal plans instead of the present tense.
Always use 'aurai' for 'I will have'.
Use 'irai' for future travel plans.
Use 'ferai' for future tasks.
Pronunciation
Future Endings
The endings -ai, -as, -a, -ont are pronounced with a clear 'e' sound, while -ons and -ez are nasal or 'ay'.
Rising for questions
Serez-vous là? ↑
Yes/No question
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember the 'Future Four': Ser, Aur, Ir, Fer. Think of a 'Ser-Aur' (a golden bird) going 'Ir' (far) to 'Fer' (do) something.
Visual Association
Imagine a golden bird (Aur) sitting on a throne (Ser), flying away (Ir) to build (Fer) a nest.
Rhyme
Ser, Aur, Ir, Fer, the future is clear, add the endings and have no fear!
Story
I will be (serai) a king. I will have (aurai) a castle. I will go (irai) to the moon. I will do (ferai) great things.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 4 sentences about your weekend using each of the four verbs.
Cultural Notes
The future simple is used for formal plans and professional commitments.
The future simple is often replaced by the 'aller + infinitive' in casual speech.
The future simple is used in formal writing and news broadcasts.
The French future tense evolved from the Latin infinitive + 'habere' (to have).
Conversation Starters
Où serez-vous l'année prochaine ?
Qu'aurez-vous fait demain soir ?
Irez-vous en vacances cet été ?
Ferez-vous un effort pour apprendre ?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
Demain, je ___ à Paris.
Tu ___ une voiture.
Find and fix the mistake:
Je êtreai là.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Nous ___ au parc.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Je / faire / un gâteau.
Ils ___ en France.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesDemain, je ___ à Paris.
Tu ___ une voiture.
Find and fix the mistake:
Je êtreai là.
ferai / je / demain / le / travail
Nous ___ au parc.
Être -> ?
Je / faire / un gâteau.
Ils ___ en France.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesNous ___ faim après le sport.
They will be late.
ira / Elle / à / Paris / .
Vous ___ quoi demain ?
J'aurai une voiture.
Match the pairs:
Tu ___ prêt à huit heures ?
I will have a cat.
The future stem of 'aller' is:
On ___ une pause bientôt.
auras / Tu / de / la / chance / .
Ils iront à la plage.
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
They are high-frequency verbs that resisted regularization during the evolution of French from Latin.
No, you must use the specific stems: ser-, aur-, ir-, fer-.
Yes, especially for planning and professional communication.
Use 'ne' before the verb and 'pas' after. Example: 'Je ne serai pas'.
No, there are others like 'pouvoir' (pour-) or 'vouloir' (voudr-), but these four are the most frequent.
'Serai' is future (I will be), 'serais' is conditional (I would be).
Yes, they are essential for discussing future roles and availability.
Use the mnemonic 'SAIF' or practice with flashcards.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Futuro simple
Spanish adds endings to the infinitive, while French irregulars change the stem.
Futur I
German uses an auxiliary verb, French uses synthetic endings.
Non-past tense
Japanese has no dedicated future tense.
Future prefix (sa-)
Arabic uses a prefix, French uses a suffix.
Future markers (yào, huì)
Chinese verbs do not change form.
Will + infinitive
English uses a modal, French uses verb conjugation.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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