Futur Proche vs Futur Simple: Which French Future Should You Use?
7 min read
French has two main ways to talk about what will happen: the near future (futur proche, literally “close future”) and the simple future (futur simple). English speakers often map them to “going to” vs **“will,” but French also cares about register (spoken vs written) and grammar after certain words—not only “how soon” something is.
Concrete example: at a bakery you might hear Je vais prendre un croissant (I am going to have a croissant—decision right now). In a cover letter you might write Je vous contacterai la semaine prochaine (I will contact you next week—one polished verb).
Mental model: the futur proche is the scooter—quick, everyday, anchored in the present of aller. The futur simple is the TGV—sleek single-word futures for timelines, headlines, and formal French.
- Futur proche: aller (present indicative) + infinitive—plus negation (ne … pas around aller) and pronouns before the infinitive**.
- Futur simple: stem + endings **-ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont (same vowel pattern as avoir in the present: j’ai, tu as, il a…).
- After quand or dès que for a later event, French often uses futur simple in the time clause—unlike English, which often uses the present there.
- A street-ready checklist: evidence + chat → proche; laws of the universe, CVs, and si + present → often simple**.
The futur proche (the “near” future)
Most learners start here because the main verb stays in the infinitive—no new endings to memorize on parler, finir, or vendre. The only conjugation you need is aller, one of the most common French verbs.
Formula: subject + aller (present) + infinitive.
Everyday lines: **Tu vas venir ce soir ? — Are you going to come tonight? On va rater le train ! — We are going to miss the train! Je vais t’envoyer le lien. — I am going to send you the link.
Negation: wrap ne … pas around aller, not the infinitive: Je ne vais pas manger. (I am not going to eat.)
Object pronouns (le, la, les, lui, leur) sit before the infinitive: Je vais le faire. (I am going to do it.) The aller + infinitive** lesson on this site walks through the pattern step by step.
- Demain matin, je vais courir before work → plan already on your mind.
- Regarde : il va se casser la figure ! → visible evidence, immediate warning.
The futur simple (the “standard” future)
Here the future is one word: je parlerai, nous finirons. For many -er and -ir verbs, the stem is the full infinitive; -re verbs usually drop the final -e (attendre → j’attendrai). Être, avoir, aller, **faire, and friends have irregular stems—our dedicated futur simple article lists them with examples.
Formula (core): future stem + -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont**.
Where it shows up: weather on the news (Il pleuvra), museum signs, contracts, biographies, and any time you want a calm, official tone. Je signerai le document demain sounds more “boardroom” than Je vais signer—both can be true; the register shifts.
Negation: normal ne … pas around the conjugated verb: Je ne mangerai pas.
| Subject | Futur simple |
|---|---|
| Je | parlerai |
| Tu | parleras |
| Il / elle / on | parlera |
| Nous | parlerons |
| Vous | parlerez |
| Ils / elles | parleront |
Practice French conjugation for free in the Croissant Verbs app
Quizzes and spaced repetition for every tense, for free on your phone—plus short grammar guides on our Learn hub.
Same idea, two futures: compare out loud
Swap only the future and listen to the tone. Neither sentence is “wrong”—one feels chatty, the other declarative.
- Je vais étudier ce weekend. vs J’étudierai ce week-end. — casual plan vs neat announcement.
- Ça va coûter cher. vs Ça coûtera cher. — going to cost vs will cost (headline / warning).
- Nous allons déménager en juin. vs Nous déménagerons en juin. — moving (oral) vs we will move (lease / email).
The showdown: key differences
Both point forward, but they carry different weight. Use the table as a quick map, then trust your ear with native audio and drills**.
| Feature | Futur proche | Futur simple |
|---|---|---|
| English feel | “Going to” | **“Will” |
| Structure | Periphrastic** (helper + infinitive) | **Synthetic (one conjugated verb) |
| Typical timeframe | Often soon or already decided | Near or far—distance is not the main rule |
| Negation | Ne … pas around aller | Ne … pas around the future verb |
| Certainty (feel) | Grounded in evidence or a firm plan | Predictions, policies, timeless truths |
| Where you hear it most | Spoken French, messages, cafés | Writing, news, admin, literature** |
Grammar spotlight: after quand and dès que
English often uses the present in a when-clause about the future (When I arrive, I will call). French usually puts a future in that first clause: Quand j’arriverai, je t’appellerai. Same idea with dès que (as soon as) when the **timeline is still ahead of you.
That makes the futur simple structurally useful even if you still prefer aller + infinitive in the main clause in speech. Pair this with our conditional présent article when si clauses enter the mix (si** + present → future result is a classic written frame).
- **Dès qu’il verra les résultats, il nous préviendra. — As soon as he sees the results, he will let us know.
How to choose (rule of thumb)
Stuck mid-conversation? Run this checklist**—speed beats perfection.
Use futur proche if…
You are in real time: evidence in front of you, a shared calendar, or a decision you are announcing on the spot.
- **Il va pleuvoir. — Dark clouds now.
- Attention ! Tu vas tomber ! — Trip hazard now.
- Je vais te montrer sur la carte.** — Whipping out your phone.
Use futur simple if…
You are stating a law of the world, a remote prediction, a childhood dream, or the result half of **si + present in formal French.
- Quand je serai grand, je serai astronaute. — Kid logic + timeless line.
- Si j’ai de l’argent, j’achèterai une maison.** — Written-style conditional chain.
- **L’année prochaine, cette startup lancera un nouveau produit. — press-release tone.
Pro tip: the “spoken French” reality
In modern spoken French, aller + infinitive carries a huge share of future meaning—even for events weeks away—because it is fast and transparent. You are not “lazy”; you are matching how people actually talk.
The hack: Master the futur proche first (with negation and pronouns). Add the futur simple when you write emails in French, sit exams, or read news and novels—that is where the one-word future shines.
Related periphrastic trick: venir de + infinitive is the mirror image for the recent past (Je viens de finir = I just finished)—same idea: one helper verb + infinitive.
The 10-minute “future” drill
Say six lines out loud. Odd lines = futur proche; even lines = futur simple. Swap in verbs from our top verbs list.
- Ce soir, je vais…** + infinitive (tonight, going to…).
- Demain, je… + futur simple (tomorrow, I will…).
- **Ce weekend, nous allons… (this weekend we are going to…).
- L’an prochain, j’…** + futur simple (next year I will…).
- **Dans deux minutes, tu vas… (in two minutes you are going to…).
- Un jour, les humains…** + futur simple (one day, humans will…).
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between futur proche and futur simple in French?
- Futur proche uses aller in the present plus an infinitive (Je vais partir—I am going to leave). Futur simple is one conjugated verb (Je partirai—I will leave). Spoken French favors futur proche; formal writing and some grammar after quand favor futur simple.
- Can I use futur proche for everything in conversation?
- You can go very far with aller + infinitive in daily French. Still learn futur simple for writing, exams, news, and patterns like Quand j’arriverai, … so you are not surprised by native texts.
- Where do ne … pas go in the futur proche?
- Around aller: Je ne vais pas dormir (I am not going to sleep). The infinitive stays outside the negation.
- French future after quand: present or future?
- For a future event, French typically uses futur simple in the time clause: **Quand il arrivera, on commencera. English often uses the present in the first clause—this is a classic French vs English mismatch to memorize.
Pick the tool for the moment. Futur proche keeps conversation fluent; futur simple keeps prose precise and handles time clauses the way French exams** expect.
Stack your study: lock in aller in the present, drill pronouns with infinitives, then add stems and endings for futur simple. Use the related guides below for the deep rules, **interactive practice, and conditional patterns that often sit next to the future in if / when sentences.
Croissant Verbs: plan the future in French without guessing. Next read: imparfait vs passé composé** if storytelling is your goal.