Le Futur Simple
Form the futur simple by adding -ai/-as/-a/-ons/-ez/-ont to the infinitive stem. Learn the six key irregular stems: ir- (aller), aur- (avoir), ser- (être), fer- (faire), viendr- (venir), voudr- (vouloir).
A lesson of French A2 — Elementary, in Futur & Projets, about 10 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will form the futur simple for regular verbs and the six most important irregular verbs, and use it for predictions and future facts.
What Is the Futur Simple?
The futur simple is the full future tense — grammatically distinct from the futur proche. It corresponds to "will do" in English.
Je partirai demain. — I will leave tomorrow. Il fera beau. — The weather will be nice. Nous verrons. — We will see.
In everyday conversation, the futur proche is more common. The futur simple appears in:
- Written French
- Formal speech
- Predictions and promises
- Time clauses (quand + future)
Regular Formation: Infinitive + Endings
For most verbs, attach the futur endings directly to the infinitive. For -re verbs, drop the final -e first.
Futur Endings
| Pronoun | Ending |
|---|---|
| je | -ai |
| tu | -as |
| il/elle/on | -a |
| nous | -ons |
| vous | -ez |
| ils/elles | -ont |
-er and -ir Verbs: Add Endings to Infinitive
| Verb | je | tu | il | nous | vous | ils |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| parler | parlerai | parleras | parlera | parlerons | parlerez | parleront |
| manger | mangerai | mangeras | mangera | mangerons | mangerez | mangeront |
| finir | finirai | finiras | finira | finirons | finirez | finiront |
| partir | partirai | partiras | partira | partirons | partirez | partiront |
-re Verbs: Drop the Final -e
| Verb | Stem | je | il | ils |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| prendre | prendr- |