The Simple Future

When to use the simple future ?

The simple future (futur simple) is the tense for a far future and a relatively certain future.

It is different of close future (futur proche) which is the tense for immediate and absolutely certain future. Therefore, simple future is use to express :

• A far future:

• A forecast :

• An order :

• A promise :

Regular conjugations

To form the simple future, you must take the verb in the infinitive and add one of these endings: -ai -as -a -ons -ez -ont.

All the infinitive verbs -er (first group) and infinitive -ir are regular.

This represents 80% of the verbs in French.

• Note that the endings of simple future look like the helping verb avoir in present tense :

Prononciation of the -er verbs

Reminder : This part of the lesson is relate to the mute e.

In  order to make the prononciation easier, the e of -er is not always pronounced.

• If -er is preceded by a vowel → mute e.

• If -er is preceded by a consonant → facultative e.

• If -er is preceded by two consonants → loud e.

Phonological adaptations

Using simple future, some verb roots of the third group slightly change from the infinitive verb.

These variations help to d'adapte prononciation of the conjugated verb.

The root often looses an e or take an accent in order to make the prononciation smoother.

These irregular verbs represent a fifth of French verbs, but they are very often used in daily life.

• The infinitive in -re, -dre, -oire loose the final e.

• The infinitive in -eler, -eter, -ener, etc. e becomes è.

• Only the verbs appeler and jeter and their derivations do not follow this rule. Instead, t and l double.

• The infinitive in -yer, y becomes i.

Peculiar roots

There are eighteen verbs that have peculiar roots.

They are third group verbs that are used very often très utilisés.