French future tense (futur simple and futur proche)

Q: What is the difference between futur proche and futur simple?

The futur proche expresses an imminent action and stays linked to the present; the futur simple expresses a more distant action, a forecast or a plan, and is also used in writing.

Video lesson

French has two ways to express the future: the futur proche (aller + infinitive) and the futur simple. This page explains how to form each, the irregular stems, when to choose one over the other, the classic trap, common mistakes, a quick test and three interactive exercises right on the page. French forms and examples stay in French; the explanations are in English.

In this lesson

The rule in one sentence
The futur proche
The futur simple
Irregular stems
Proche or simple?
The classic trap
Common mistakes
Self-check
FAQ
Key points
Exercises

The rule in one sentence

The futur proche = aller in the present + the infinitive (an imminent action). The futur simple = the infinitive stem + the endings -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont (a more distant or formal action).

The futur proche: aller + infinitive

Conjugate the verb aller in the present, then add the infinitive.

Subject	aller (present) + infinitive
je	je vais lire
tu	tu vas partir
il / elle / on	elle va manger
nous	nous allons participer
vous	vous allez commencer
ils / elles	ils vont arriver

The futur simple: infinitive + endings

Start from the infinitive (the future stem) and add the endings. Verbs ending in -re drop the final -e before the ending.

Ending	parler (-er)	finir (-ir)	prendre (-re)
je — -ai	je parlerai	je finirai	je prendrai
tu — -as	tu parleras	tu finiras	tu prendras
il/elle — -a	il parlera	elle finira	on prendra
nous — -ons	nous parlerons	nous finirons	nous prendrons
vous — -ez	vous parlerez	vous finirez	vous prendrez
ils/elles — -ont	ils parleront	elles finiront	ils prendront

Good to know: the futur simple endings are the same for every verb. They match the present forms of avoir: ai, as, a, (av)ons, (av)ez, ont.

Irregular stems

Some very common verbs have an irregular stem in the future. The endings, however, never change.

Verb	Stem	Example
être	ser-	je serai
avoir	aur-	j’aurai
aller	ir-	j’irai
faire	fer-	je ferai
venir	viendr-	je viendrai
voir	verr-	je verrai
pouvoir	pourr-	je pourrai
vouloir	voudr-	je voudrai
devoir	devr-	je devrai
savoir	saur-	je saurai
envoyer	enverr-	j’enverrai
falloir	faudr-	il faudra

Futur proche or futur simple?

	Futur proche	Futur simple
When	imminent or very likely action	more distant action, forecast, plan
Register	mostly spoken, everyday	spoken and written, more formal
Example	Je vais appeler le médecin.	Un jour, je vivrai à Paris.

Note: the two are often interchangeable when speaking. The futur proche stresses the link with the present; the futur simple stresses distance or prediction.

The classic trap

Do not confuse the futur simple with the conditional. They share the same stem, but not the endings: future « je parlerai » (future action) / conditional « je parlerais » (hypothesis, politeness). The final s changes everything. Also keep the r of the stem: « je ferai » when you talk about the future.

Knowing the conjugations is one thing; talking about the future without hesitating when you speak is the goal. Book a free trial lesson and practise with a native teacher, no credit card needed.
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Common mistakes

Forgetting the irregular stem. « J’avoirai » → « J’aurai. » (avoir → aur-)
Keeping the -e of -re verbs. « Je prendre-ai » → « Je prendrai. »
Confusing it with the conditional. « Demain je parlerais » → « Demain je parlerai. »
Double infinitive in the futur proche. « Je vais lirai » → « Je vais lire. »
Wrong form of aller. « Nous vont partir » → « Nous allons partir. »

Self-check

Fill in, then reveal the answers.

Demain, nous ____ (partir, futur simple) en vacances.
Attention, tu ____ (tomber, futur proche) !
Dans deux ans, ils ____ (être, futur simple) diplômés.

Show the answers

1. Demain, nous partirons en vacances. · 2. Attention, tu vas tomber ! · 3. Dans deux ans, ils seront diplômés.

FAQ

How do you form the futur proche?

With the verb aller in the present followed by the infinitive: « je vais manger », « nous allons partir ».

How do you form the futur simple?

Take the infinitive (the stem) and add the endings -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont. Verbs in -re drop the -e: prendre → je prendrai.

What is the difference between futur proche and futur simple?

The futur proche expresses an imminent or very likely action and stays linked to the present; the futur simple expresses a more distant action, a forecast or a plan, and is also used in writing.

Which verbs have an irregular stem?

Notably être (ser-), avoir (aur-), aller (ir-), faire (fer-), venir (viendr-), voir (verr-), pouvoir (pourr-), vouloir (voudr-), devoir (devr-), savoir (saur-).

How do you tell the future from the conditional?

The stem is the same, but the endings differ. Future: -ai, -as, -a… (« je viendrai »). Conditional: -ais, -ais, -ait… (« je viendrais »).

Key points

Futur proche = aller in the present + infinitive (imminent action).
Futur simple = infinitive stem + -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont.
Verbs in -re drop the -e: prendre → je prendrai.
Irregular stems: ser-, aur-, ir-, fer-, viendr-, verr-, pourr-…
Future (-ai) is not the conditional (-ais): the final s makes the difference.

Exercises

Try this exercise and check your results straight away.

See also: all French grammar · level test

Written and reviewed by the native teachers of Live French, online since 2007.