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French grammar - Le futur simple

Le futur simple

Le futur simple is used to talk about future plans or intentions, as well as to make predictions.

Le futur simple is more formal then le futur proche and can refer to events more distant into the future.

The le futur simple has no auxiliary. It conjugates with regular endings which are attached to a verb root.

The je ending is -ai

The tu ending is -as

The il & elle ending is -a

The nous ending is -ons

The vousending is -ez

The ils & elles ending is -ont

For regular -ER and -IR verbs the futur simple root is the infinitive.

For regular -RE verbs the futur simple root is formed by removing the final -e from the infinitive.

While the futur simple endings are regular, many common verbs have irregular futur simple root which must be memorized.

Examples:
je mangerai
I will eat

manger is an -er verb so for je add -ai to the infinitive ⇒ je mangerai

tu finiras
you (familiar) will finish

finir is an -ir verb so for tu add -as to the infinitive ⇒ tu finiras

il regardera
he will watch

regarder is an -er verb so for il add -a to the infinitive ⇒ il regardera

nous vendrons
we will sell

vendre is an -re verb so drop the final -e from the infinitive and for nous add -onsnous vendrons

vous boirez
you (formal) will drink

boire is an -re verb so drop the final -e from the infinitive and for vous add -ezvous boirez

ils partiront
they will leave

partir is an -ir verb so for ils add -ont to the infinitive ⇒ il partiront

Vous ne finirez jamais en une journée.
You (formal) will never finish in a day.

finirfinir- + -ezvous finirez

Demain, je rangerai les dossiers.
Tomorrow I will put the files away.

rangerrangerai- + -aije rangerai

Ça prendra combien de temps ?
How long will it take?

prendreprendr- + -ail prendra

Si on fait les courses à deux, on les finira plus vite.
If we go shopping together, we will finish them faster.

finirfinir- + -aon finira

Quand prenez-vous votre retraite ?
When will you (formal) retire?

prendreprendr- + -ezvous prendrez

Pas de soucis, je conduirai le camion.
No worries, I'll drive the truck.

condiurecondiur- + -aije conduirai

Rentrez-vous chez vous dans le noir ?
Do you (formal) come home in the dark?

rentrerentr- + -ezvous rentrez

Il se couchera dès qu'il finira son travail.
He will go to bed as soon as he finishes his work.

se coucherse coucher- + -ail se couchera

Je partirai en vacances quand il fera beau.
I will go on vacation when the weather is nice.

partiraipartir- + -aije partirai

Nous vendrons la maison avant d'aller à l'étranger.
We will sell the house before going abroad.

vendrevendr- + -onsnous vendrons

Je réfléchirai si cela vaut la peine d'y aller.
I'll think about whether it's worth going.

se réfléchirase réfléchir- + -aije me réfléchirai

Perdront-ils le match ?
Will they lose the match?

perdre => perdr- + -ontils perdront

Qui me dira ce qui s'est passé ?
Who will tell me what happened?

diredir- + -ail dira

Tu me manqueras probablement quand tu partiras.
I will probably miss you when you (familiar) leave.

manquermanquer- + -astu manqueras

Eh bien, tu ne me manqueras certainement pas.
Well, I certainly won't miss you (familiar).

manquermanquer- + -astu manqueras

M'attendras-tu ? Non, je ne t'attendrai pas.
Will you (familiar) wait for me? No, I won't wait for you.

manquermanquer- + -astu manqueras

La neige fondra en un ou deux jours.
The snow will melt in a day or two.

fondrefondr- + -aelle fondra

Ils ne répondront à aucune de nos questions.
They won't answer any of our questions.

répondrerépondr- + -ontils répondront

Je ne prétendrai jamais être un expert.
I will never claim to be an expert.

prétendreprétendr- + -aije prétendrai