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Tense guide
Futur simple (Future)

Language: French
Tense:
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Introduction

This tense is used to talk about things that will happen in the future. It is the main way to express "will" or "shall" in French. You can think of it as the simple future tense.

The most common use is to talk about future actions or events. These are things you plan to do or events that you know will happen.

Demain, nous irons au cinéma.
(Tomorrow, we will go to the movies.)
L'année prochaine, j'habiterai en France.
(Next year, I will live in France.)
Il finira ses devoirs plus tard.
(He will finish his homework later.)
Vous recevrez le colis la semaine prochaine.
(You will receive the package next week.)
Elles partiront en vacances en août.
(They will go on vacation in August.)

You can also use it to make predictions about the future. This is for things you think or believe will happen.

Je pense qu'il pleuvra demain.
(I think it will rain tomorrow.)
Un jour, tu comprendras.
(One day, you will understand.)
Ils ne gagneront probablement pas le match.
(They probably will not win the game.)

It is often used to make a promise or a firm decision about a future action.

Je t'appellerai ce soir, promis.
(I will call you tonight, I promise.)
Nous serons toujours là pour vous.
(We will always be there for you.)
Je te rendrai ton livre demain.
(I will give your book back to you tomorrow.)

This tense appears in sentences that use "if" (si) to talk about a possible future situation. The action that will happen as a result is in this future tense.

Si j'ai le temps, je t'aiderai.
(If I have time, I will help you.)
Si tu étudies bien, tu réussiras l'examen.
(If you study well, you will pass the exam.)
Nous sortirons s'il ne pleut pas.
(We will go out if it doesn't rain.)

Similarly, it's used after "when" (quand) to describe a sequence of two future actions. The action that happens second is in this future tense.

Quand j'arriverai, je t'appellerai.
(When I arrive, I will call you.)
Tu te sentiras mieux quand tu dormiras un peu.
(You will feel better when you sleep a little.)

In formal contexts, like signs or official documents, it can be used to give a polite command or instruction.

Vous fermerez la porte derrière vous.
(You will close the door behind you.)
Les visiteurs présenteront leur billet à l'entrée.
(Visitors will present their ticket at the entrance.)

In everyday spoken French, people often use another structure (aller + verb) to talk about the near future. This tense, the "futur simple", is more common in writing, in formal speech, or for events that are further in the future.

Conjugation patterns