The future tense in French : complete course

3.2 The Simple Future – Le Futur Simple

The futur simple is used for actions that will happen in a more distant or uncertain future. It is also common in written French and for making predictions or promises.

Formula:

Infinitive verb + future ending

For regular -er and -ir verbs, simply add the endings to the infinitive. For -re verbs, drop the final e first, then add the endings.

Future endings (same for all verbs):

Example with parler (to speak):

Common irregular verbs in the futur simple:

Examples:

• Je serai médecin un jour. → I will be a doctor one day.
• Nous ferons un voyage en été. → We will take a trip in the summer.
• Tu auras plus de temps demain. → You will have more time tomorrow.

💡 Tip: Use the futur simple when you want to sound more formal, or when the future event feels more distant or hypothetical.

3.3 Futur Proche vs. Futur Simple — When to Use Which?

4. Why Is the Future Tense Important in French?

Mastering the future tense allows you to:

• Make plans and appointments — Nous allons nous retrouver à midi. (We are going to meet at noon.)
• Express predictions — Il fera beau demain. (It will be nice weather tomorrow.)
• Make promises — Je t’appellerai ce soir. (I will call you tonight.)
• Talk about hopes and dreams — Un jour, je vivrai en France. (One day, I will live in France.)

At the A2 level, you will use the future tense constantly — in conversation, in writing, and even when reading simple texts or messages.

5. Comparison with Other Languages

The future tense works differently in French, Spanish, and English. Here is a quick side-by-side comparison:

💡 Good news for Spanish speakers! The French and Spanish future tenses are very similar — both in structure and in logic. If you already speak Spanish, learning the French future will feel natural.

💡 Good news for English speakers! The two-form system (near future / simple future) mirrors the English distinction between “going to” and “will.” The logic is the same — only the words change.

6. A Complete Example in Context

Read this short paragraph. Notice how both future forms are used naturally together:

Ce week-end, je vais visiter Paris avec ma famille. Nous allons prendre le train vendredi soir. Samedi matin, nous irons à la Tour Eiffel. Le soir, nous mangerons dans un bon restaurant. Ce sera un voyage inoubliable !

Translation:

This weekend, I am going to visit Paris with my family. We are going to take the train on Friday evening. On Saturday morning, we will go to the Eiffel Tower. In the evening, we will eat in a nice restaurant. It will be an unforgettable trip!

In this paragraph:

• Je vais visiter and Nous allons prendre → futur proche (planned, immediate future)
• irons, mangerons, sera → futur simple (gives the narrative a slightly more formal tone)

Both forms can often be used in the same conversation or text. Context and style guide the choice.

7. Key Takeaways

• ✅ French has two future forms: the futur proche and the futur simple.
• ✅ The futur proche = aller (present) + infinitive. Use it for near, planned events.
• ✅ The futur simple = infinitive + future endings. Use it for distant, uncertain, or formal future events.
• ✅ Some verbs have irregular stems in the futur simple (être → ser-, avoir → aur-, aller → ir-, etc.).
• ✅ Both forms are used in everyday French — learning both is essential at the A2 level.
• ✅ The logic is similar to English (“going to” vs. “will”) and Spanish (ir a vs. futuro simple).

Practice by making sentences about your own plans and dreams. The more you use the future tense, the more natural it will feel!

8. Sources

• Dubois, J., Giacomo, M., Guespin, L., Marcellesi, C., Marcellesi, J.-B., & Mével, J.-P. (2002). Dictionnaire de linguistique. Larousse. — A comprehensive French linguistics reference covering verb tense morphology and usage.
• Grégoire, M., & Thiévenaz, O. (2012). Grammaire progressive du français — Niveau intermédiaire (3rd ed.). CLE International. — A widely used pedagogical grammar resource for A2–B1 French learners, with detailed explanations of the futur proche and futur simple.
• Council of Europe. (2020). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment — Companion Volume. Council of Europe Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages — The official CEFR document defining language competence levels, including A2 communicative objectives that encompass future tense use.