In French there are two simple ways to talk about something that will happen in the future: Le Futur Proche (near future) and Le Futur (the future). This article will address how to form these two types of future tenses and when to use each of them. At the end of the article there will be a few practice exercises to make sure you understand the basics.
Le Futur Proche
We'll start with the futur proche because it only requires you to correctly conjugate the verb aller (to go) in the present tense. Le futur proche is very beginner friendly and mimics English when you say something along the lines of "I am going to ______." The near future denotes events that are certain to occur and are happening relatively soon. This tense is heard a lot in conversation.
Le futur proche involves using the correct conjugation of aller + an infinitive (unconjugated verb).
On va regarder un film ce soir.
We are going to watch a film tonight.
Je vais me coucher à minuit.
I'm going to sleep at midnight.
Nous n'allons pas aller au parc.
We aren't going to go to the park.
TIP: an easy way to remember that the futur proche needs two verbs is to associate the word (futur proche = 2 words) with the number of verbs (2 verbs).
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Le Futur
The French future is used to talk about more general or distant future events. These events are slightly more uncertain because the amount of time needed to elapse is greater than the near future. This future tense is easy to form however you'll have to memorize certain irregular stems because they just happen to be important verbs. It's English equivalent is "I will ______."
The French Pronoun On Explained
Even after having years of French instruction, people still exhibit some confusion over the indefinite pronoun on. So what exactly is on and when can I use it?
On can be your best friend
On (pronounced /ɔ̃/ like the vowel in the french word "pont") has a few meanings in French. In some instances it can mean we or one (people in general). In conversational French, on is frequently used instead of the we that everybody learns in class, nous. Unlike the nous form, when on's verbs follow the same conjugation pattern he and her in French (il ou elle). So, on can be your best friend because often the 3rd person verb conjugations are both easier to pronounce and remember.
On can be your best friend
| On aime le mot on ! |
Gender and Prepositions of Countries in French
What prepositions should I use when talking about different countries or cities in French?
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The preposition depends on the gender of the country you're trying to talk about. Luckily there is straightforward rule to determining the genders in French with minimal exceptions:
Almost every country ending in an "e" is a feminine country
Almost every country ending in an "e" is a feminine country
la France (France)
la Belgique (Belgium)
l'Allemagne (Germany)
l'Algérie (Algeria)
la Chine (China)
la Guyane (Guiana)
la Russie (Russia)
la Corée (Korea)
However, there are a few exceptions to the rule above which can only be solved through memorization. Many French textbooks reiterate this point.
le Belize (Belize)
le Mexique (Mexico)
le Mozambique (Republic of Mozambique)
le Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe)
le Zaïre (Republic of Zaire)
le Cambodge (Cambodia)
Simple Example Sentences:
I come from the United States.
Je viens des États-Unis.
We are in France.
Nous sommes en France.
You're going to China tomorrow.
Vous allez en Chine demain.
She's from Brazil.
Elle vient du Brésil.What Preposition to use with different French Locations?
When you want to use a location with the prepositions to or in, then follow the rules listed below.
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