How to Form the Simple Future Tense in French
The French simple future tense (le futur simple) is used to express actions or states that will occur in the future. It's straightforward to form and essential for discussing plans, predictions, and future events.
Forming the Simple Future
To form the simple future tense for most verbs:
- Take the infinitive form of the verb
- For -er and -ir verbs, keep the entire infinitive
- For -re verbs, remove the final 'e'
- Add the appropriate ending: -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont
Regular Verb Examples
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Parler (to speak): Je parlerai, tu parleras, il/elle parlera, nous parlerons, vous parlerez, ils/elles parleront
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Finir (to finish): Je finirai, tu finiras, il/elle finira, nous finirons, vous finirez, ils/elles finiront
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Vendre (to sell): Je vendrai, tu vendras, il/elle vendra, nous vendrons, vous vendrez, ils/elles vendront
Common Irregular Verbs
Some common verbs have irregular stems in the future tense:
- Être (to be): ser-
- Avoir (to have): aur-
- Aller (to go): ir-
- Faire (to do/make): fer-
- Venir (to come): viendr-
Example: Je serai, tu auras, il ira, nous ferons, vous viendrez
Usage
The simple future is used to:
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Express future actions or states: "Demain, j'irai au cinéma." (Tomorrow, I will go to the cinema.)
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Make predictions: "Il pleuvra ce week-end." (It will rain this weekend.)
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Express promises or intentions: "Je t'appellerai dès que j'arrive." (I'll call you as soon as I arrive.)
Remember, the simple future in French often corresponds to "will + verb" in English. With practice, you'll find it's an essential and frequently used tense in everyday French conversation.