19.1 What Is the Simple Future Tense?
You've already learned one way to talk about the future using aller + infinitive:
Je vais manger au nouveau restaurant.
I'm going to eat at the new restaurant.
French also has the simple future tense:
Je mangerai au nouveau restaurant.
I will eat at the new restaurant.
Both describe future actions, much like the difference between "I'm going to eat" and "I will eat" in English.
The Simple Future
The simple future tense indicates upcoming actions or actions that will occur.
19.2 Simple Future Tense Endings
Some verbs use irregular future stems, but all verbs use the same simple future endings:
Regular Simple Future Endings
| Pronouns | All verb endings |
|---|---|
| je | -ai |
| tu | -as |
| il, elle, on | -a |
| nous | -ons |
| vous | -ez |
| ils, elles | -ont |
To form the simple future, start by finding the verb's future stem.
‑ER and ‑IR Verbs
For regular ‑ER and ‑IR verbs, add the future ending directly to the full infinitive:
‑RE Verbs
For regular ‑RE verbs, remove the final e, then add the future ending:
19.3 Regular Verbs in the Simple Future
Here are our three familiar regular verbs fully conjugated in the simple future:
That’s it! The simple future really does live up to its name.
19.4 Using the Simple Future
Use the simple future to describe actions and events that will happen in the future:
Je parlerai avec ma sœur demain soir.
I will talk with my sister tomorrow night.
Le petit garçon ne finira pas son poisson pané.
The little boy will not finish his fried fish.
Les filles vendront des gâteaux à tous leurs voisins.
The girls will sell cakes to all of their neighbors.
Practice Time!
Master these verb conjugations from Lesson 19