The future tense (AQA GCSE French): Revision Notes
The future tense
The future tense in French is essential for expressing what you plan to do or what will happen. There are two main ways to talk about the future, and mastering both will help you achieve higher grades in your GCSE French exam.
Near future tense (futur proche)
The near future tense is used when you want to talk about something you're planning to do soon or have definite intentions about. This tense is particularly useful in everyday conversation and is often the first future tense students learn.
The near future tense is formed using the present tense of the verb aller (to go) followed by an infinitive verb. Think of it as saying "I am going to..." in English.
Formation: aller + infinitive
The pattern is simple: conjugate 'aller' in the present tense, then add any infinitive verb.
| Person | Aller conjugation | + infinitive |
|---|---|---|
| je | vais | + infinitive |
| tu | vas | + infinitive |
| il/elle/on | va | + infinitive |
| nous | allons | + infinitive |
| vous | allez | + infinitive |
| ils/elles | vont | + infinitive |
Worked Example: Building Near Future Sentences
Step 1: Choose your subject
- Je (I)
Step 2: Conjugate 'aller'
- Je → vais
Step 3: Add your infinitive verb
- Je vais + manger → Je vais manger (I am going to eat)
Step 4: Add additional details if needed
- Je vais manger + au restaurant → Je vais manger au restaurant (I am going to eat at the restaurant)
Example sentences
- Je vais aller... - I am going to go...
- Ils vont jouer au football. - They are going to play football.
- Mon copain va rentrer à 21h00. - My friend is going to come home at 9 o'clock.
- On va manger en ville. - We are going to eat in town.
The infinitive is the basic form of the verb you'll find in the dictionary, typically ending in -er, -ir, or -re. For example: jouer (to play), manger (to eat), sortir (to go out), lire (to read). Never conjugate the infinitive verb when using the near future tense!
Future simple (futur simple)
The future simple is more formal and is used to express what you definitely will do. This tense is particularly useful for achieving higher grades as it demonstrates more advanced grammar knowledge and sounds more sophisticated in written French.
Formation: infinitive + future endings
Take the infinitive of any regular verb and add these endings:
| Person | Ending | Example (manger) |
|---|---|---|
| je | -ai | mangerai |
| tu | -as | mangeras |
| il/elle/on | -a | mangera |
| nous | -ons | mangerons |
| vous | -ez | mangerez |
| ils/elles | -ont | mangeront |
Grammar tip: These endings are actually the same as the present tense forms of 'avoir', except for the nous and vous forms! This makes them easier to remember.
Irregular verbs in the future simple
Some common verbs don't follow the regular pattern. These irregular future stems are essential to memorise as they appear frequently in both spoken and written French.
| Infinitive | Future stem | Example |
|---|---|---|
| aller (to go) | ir- | j'irai (I will go) |
| avoir (to have) | aur- | j'aurai (I will have) |
| être (to be) | ser- | je serai (I will be) |
| faire (to do/make) | fer- | je ferai (I will do) |
Common Mistake Alert: Students often try to use the infinitive stem for irregular verbs. Remember that irregular verbs have completely different stems - you cannot use "aller-" or "avoir-" as the stem. Always use the special irregular stems shown above.
Which future tense should you use?
Understanding when to use each tense will help you sound more natural and achieve better marks in your exams.
Near future (futur proche)
Use this when:
- Talking about immediate plans: Je vais jouer au football ce soir. (I'm going to play football tonight.)
- Expressing simple facts about the future
- Speaking in everyday conversation
Future simple (futur simple)
Use this when:
- Making formal statements: Je jouerai au football ce soir. (I will play football tonight.)
- Expressing intentions or responding to suggestions
- Showing more advanced language skills in exams
Exam tip: In your GCSE exam, you can use either tense when writing about future events. You can even use the present tense with a future time indicator, such as "Ce week-end, je fête l'anniversaire de mon frère" (This weekend, I am celebrating my brother's birthday).
Useful vocabulary
These time expressions are essential for discussing future events and will help make your French sound more natural:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| ce soir | tonight/this evening |
| demain | tomorrow |
| ce week-end | this weekend |
| la semaine prochaine | next week |
| l'année prochaine | next year |
| bientôt | soon |
| plus tard | later |
| dans le futur | in the future |
Example sentences with translations
Worked Example: Comparing All Three Tenses
Let's see how the same action can be expressed in present, near future, and future simple:
Football example:
- Je joue au football. - I play football. (present - habitual action)
- Je vais jouer au football. - I'm going to play football. (near future - planned action)
- Je jouerai au football. - I will play football. (future simple - definite future action)
Eating example:
- Nous mangeons à la maison. - We eat at home. (present - habitual)
- Nous allons manger au restaurant. - We're going to eat at the restaurant. (near future - planned)
- Nous mangerons en ville. - We will eat in town. (future simple - definite future)
Practice exercises
Translate from French to English:
- Elle va aller en France.
- Tu feras du vélo demain.
Translate from English to French:
- I am going to eat at the restaurant.
- He will be sad.
Answers:
- She is going to go to France.
- You will cycle/ride a bike tomorrow.
- Je vais manger au restaurant.
- Il sera triste.
Key Points to Remember:
- The near future uses aller + infinitive and is perfect for talking about plans and intentions
- The future simple uses infinitive + endings (-ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont) and sounds more formal
- Future simple endings are the same as 'avoir' conjugation (except nous/vous forms)
- Key irregular future stems to memorise: ir- (aller), aur- (avoir), ser- (être), fer- (faire)
- Both tenses are acceptable in your GCSE exam when discussing future events
- Practice using time expressions to make your French sound more natural