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Futur simple · je parlerai

The one-word future: the dictionary form + -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont (je parlerai). A few verbs have their own stem: ser-, aur-, ir-, fer-.

Examples

  • Je te parlerai demain.I'll talk to you tomorrow.
  • L'année prochaine, j'irai à Paris.Next year I'll go to Paris.

How it works

French has a one-word future, like English "will + verb" squeezed into a single word.

Form

take the dictionary form of the verb (the infinitive) and add these endings:

je -ainous -ons
tu -asvous -ez
il/elle -ails/elles -ont
parler → je parlerai, tu parleras, il parlera,

nous parlerons, vous parlerez, ils parleront

finir → je finirai
-re verbs drop the final e first: prendre → je prendrai

Irregular stems

same endings, different front part:

être → ser-je seraiavoir → aur-j'aurai
aller → ir-j'iraifaire → fer-je ferai
venir → viendr-je viendraipouvoir → pourr- je pourrai
vouloir → voudr- je voudraivoir → verr-je verrai
devoir → devr-je devraisavoir → saur-je saurai
il pleut (it rains) → il pleuvra

When to use it

and how it differs from aller + verb:

Futur simple: plans further away, promises, predictions, written French.
L'année prochaine, j'irai à Paris.Next year I'll go to Paris.
aller + verb (futur proche): something already decided or about to happen.
Je vais partir.I'm going to leave.
In speech the two often overlap.

After quand

use the future, not the present (unlike English):

Quand j'aurai le temps, je t'appellerai.
When I have time, I'll call you.

Common mistakes

je alleraij'irai; je êtrai → je serai
je voudrai (I will want) vs je voudrais (I would like): one letter.
Quand j'ai le temps, je t'appelleraiQuand j'aurai le temps…

What you'll practise

  1. 1. Regular: infinitive + -ai, -as, -a…

    Add -ai / -as / -a / -ons / -ez / -ont to the dictionary form; -re verbs drop the final e (prendre → prendrai).

    • Nous finirons demain.We'll finish tomorrow.
    • Je prendrai le bus.I'll take the bus.

  2. 2. Irregular stems: ser-, aur-, ir-, fer-…

    être → serai, avoir → aurai, aller → irai, faire → ferai, venir → viendrai, pouvoir → pourrai, voir → verrai.

    • Elle sera contente.She will be happy.
    • Il pleuvra demain.It will rain tomorrow.

  3. 3. quand + future

    After quand, talk about the future in the future tense (English uses the present).

    • Quand j'aurai le temps, je t'appellerai.When I have time, I'll call you.

Practise it until it sticks

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