How to Use the French Near Future Tense (Futur Proche)

The French near future tense, known as "le futur proche" or "le futur périphrastique," is an essential grammatical structure for expressing actions that will happen in the near future.

This tense is equivalent to the English "going to" construction and is widely used in everyday French conversations. Let's explore how to form and use this tense effectively.

Formation of the Near Future Tense

The near future tense in French is formed using two key elements:

1. The verb "aller" (to go) conjugated in the present tense
2. The infinitive form of the main verb

The formula is simple:

Subject + aller (conjugated) + infinitive

Here's how "aller" is conjugated in the present tense:

• Je vais
• Tu vas
• Il/Elle/On va
• Nous allons
• Vous allez
• Ils/Elles vont

Common Usage and Examples

The near future tense is used to express actions that will occur in the immediate or near future. It's particularly useful for:

• Making plans
• Expressing intentions
• Predicting imminent events

Let's look at some examples:

1. Making plans: "Je vais étudier ce soir." (I'm going to study tonight.) "Nous allons partir en vacances demain." (We're going to leave for vacation tomorrow.)

2. Expressing intentions: "Elle va acheter une nouvelle voiture." (She's going to buy a new car.) "Vous allez apprendre le français?" (Are you going to learn French?)

3. Predicting imminent events: "Il va pleuvoir bientôt." (It's going to rain soon.) "Le train va arriver dans cinq minutes." (The train is going to arrive in five minutes.)

Near Future vs. Simple Future

While both tenses express future actions, there's a subtle difference:

• The near future (futur proche) is used for actions that are imminent or planned.
• The simple future (futur simple) is used for more distant or less certain future events.

Compare: "Je vais manger dans un instant." (I'm going to eat in a moment.) - Near future "Je mangerai plus tard." (I will eat later.) - Simple future

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Forgetting the infinitive: Incorrect: "Je vais à la plage." (This means "I'm going to the beach" not "I'm going to go to the beach") Correct: "Je vais aller à la plage." (I'm going to go to the beach.)

2. Using "de" before the infinitive: Incorrect: "Nous allons de partir." Correct: "Nous allons partir."

3. Conjugating the second verb: Incorrect: "Tu vas manges." Correct: "Tu vas manger."

Near Future in the Past

The near future can also be used to express actions that were going to happen in the past. This is formed by conjugating "aller" in the imperfect tense:

"J'allais sortir quand il a commencé à pleuvoir." (I was going to go out when it started raining.)

Practical Exercises

To solidify your understanding, try these exercises:

1. Translate to French: "We are going to watch a movie tonight."
2. Complete the sentence: "Ils ______ (aller) ______ (partir) en vacances demain."
3. Correct the mistake: "Elle va étudie français."

Conclusion

The French near future tense is a versatile and frequently used grammatical structure.

By mastering its formation and usage, you'll significantly enhance your ability to communicate about future events in French.