Home › French Grammar › Futur Simple
A2 · Verb Tenses · Published
Futur Simple
The futur simple is the main one-word future tense in French: je parlerai means "I will speak". For regular verbs, the future stem is almost the infinitive, and the endings are easy to remember from the sound of avoir: -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont.
The form is not hard; the traps are where French uses it and English does not. After time words like quand and dès que, French keeps the future where English often says the present: quand il arrivera, "when he arrives".
This page covers formation, the irregular stems you need most, the future-after-time-clause rule, and the first si pattern. Aller + infinitive is the futur proche; choosing between futur simple and futur proche is its own page in the future-conditional cluster.
In short
- Regular futur simple = future stem + avoir-like endings:
je parlerai,tu finiras,elle vendra. - For
-erand-irverbs, the stem is the infinitive; for-reverbs, drop the finale:vendre→vendr-. - After
quand,lorsque, anddès que, French uses the future for future events:quand j’arriverai. - After conditional
si, use the present in the si-clause, then the future in the result:si tu viens, on ira.
futur simple formending or stem notetime or condition clause· hover a highlighted word for its label
The future lives inside the infinitive
For regular verbs, the futur simple starts with the infinitive or an infinitive-like stem. Then you add endings that echo avoir: ai, as, a, ons, ez, ont. This is why learners often find the future easier than the present: one set of endings covers all regular verbs. Verbs like appeler and jeter keep their doubled consonant throughout the future stem (appeller-, jetter-), and acheter-type verbs keep their è (achèter-). But verbs with é like préférer keep the é in the future: je préférerai.
| Person | parler | finir | vendre |
|---|---|---|---|
| je / j’ | je parlerai | je finirai | je vendrai |
| tu | tu parleras | tu finiras | tu vendras |
| il / elle / on | elle parlera | elle finira | elle vendra |
| nous | nous parlerons | nous finirons | nous vendrons |
| vous | vous parlerez | vous finirez | vous vendrez |
| ils / elles | ils parleront | ils finiront | ils vendront |
appeler → appeller- + ending = j’appellerai
I will call you tomorrow.
— Appeler uses the future stem appeller- plus the -ai ending.
We will finish this evening.
— Finir keeps the infinitive as its future stem.
She will sell her car in July.
— For -re verbs, drop the final e: vendre → vendr-.
Irregular future stems
The endings stay regular even when the stem changes. Learn the common stems as vocabulary, then attach the same six endings.
| Infinitive | Future stem | Example |
|---|---|---|
| être | ser- | je serai |
| avoir | aur- | tu auras |
| faire | fer- | il fera |
| aller | ir- | nous irons |
| pouvoir | pourr- | vous pourrez |
| venir | viendr- | elles viendront |
| voir | verr- | je verrai |
| devoir | devr- | tu devras |
| vouloir | voudr- | elle voudra |
| savoir | saur- | je saurai |
You will be late if the metro is full.
— Être uses the irregular future stem ser-.
They will have the results soon.
— Avoir uses the future stem aur- with the regular ending -ont.
You will be able to enter at eight.
— Pouvoir becomes pourr- in the futur simple.
When to use the futur simple
The futur simple sounds natural for predictions, promises, announcements, and future events that feel a little formal or detached from the present. In everyday speech, French also uses aller + infinitive very often; the difference between the two is covered in futur proche vs futur simple.
The mayor will announce the decision on Monday.
— An announcement or forecast is a natural place for the futur simple.
I will not leave without you.
— Negation surrounds the conjugated future verb.
French keeps the future after quand
English often says "when I arrive" or "as soon as she calls" even when the meaning is future. French does not switch back to the present in these time clauses. If the event is future, the verb after quand, lorsque, or dès que is future too.
quand, lorsque, dès que, aussitôt que
When he arrives, we will start.
— French uses the future in both parts: arrivera and commencera.
As soon as I have time, I will answer you.
— English says "have"; French says j’aurai because the time clause is future.
Si + present, then future
For a real future condition, French uses present tense after si, then futur simple in the result. This is the first and most practical si-clause pattern; the full system is covered on the si-clauses guide.
si + present + futur simple
If it rains, we will stay home.
— After si meaning "if", French uses the present pleut, not the future pleuvra.
Common mistakes
✗Quand j’arrive, je t’appellerai.
✓Quand j’arriverai, je t’appellerai.
For future time clauses after quand, French keeps the future tense even where English uses the present.
✗S’il pleuvra, nous resterons chez nous.
✓S’il pleut, nous resterons chez nous.
After conditional si, use the present for a real future condition, not the futur simple.
✗Je fairai le dîner demain.
✓Je ferai le dîner demain.
Faire has the irregular future stem fer-, then the regular future ending.
✗Nous finiront ce soir.
✓Nous finirons ce soir.
The nous ending is -ons; -ont belongs to ils-elles.
Check yourself
1 / 4Demain, je t’___. (appeler)
2 / 4Nous ___ la voiture en juillet. (vendre)
3 / 4Quand elle ___, nous partirons. (arriver)
4 / 4S’il ___ demain, le match commencera à dix heures. (faire beau)
Frequently asked questions
How do you form the futur simple in French?
Use the future stem plus -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont. Regular -er and -ir verbs use the infinitive as the stem; regular -re verbs drop the final e.
What are the most common irregular future stems?
The most common are être → ser-, avoir → aur-, faire → fer-, aller → ir-, pouvoir → pourr-, venir → viendr-, voir → verr-, devoir → devr-, vouloir → voudr-, and savoir → saur-. The endings remain regular.
Do I use the future after quand in French?
Yes, when the event is future. English says "when I arrive", but French says quand j’arriverai.
Can I use the futur simple after si?
Not when si means "if" in a condition. Say si tu viens, on ira, not si tu viendras; the full pattern is explained on the si-clauses guide.
Memory tip
Think "infinitive plus avoir endings". Then check two traps: future after quand, present after conditional si.
See this grammar in today's news
Verbalane turns current news into short French stories at your level — so the patterns you study here show up in sentences you actually want to read.
Start reading today's storyRelated topics