Future & Conditional
Simple future, near future, and present conditional
Near Future (Futur proche)
The easiest way to express the future — equivalent to English "going to."
Formation: aller (present tense) + infinitive
| Subject | Example: manger (to eat) |
|---|---|
| je | vais manger |
| tu | vas manger |
| il/elle | va manger |
| nous | allons manger |
| vous | allez manger |
| ils/elles | vont manger |
Usage: Expresses something that is about to happen or a near-future plan.
- Je vais partir demain. (I'm going to leave tomorrow.)
- On va manger bientôt. (We're going to eat soon.)
Simple Future (Futur simple)
More formal than the near future. Used for predictions, promises, and formal plans.
Formation: infinitive + endings
| Subject | Ending | Example: parler |
|---|---|---|
| je | -ai | parlerai |
| tu | -as | parleras |
| il/elle | -a | parlera |
| nous | -ons | parlerons |
| vous | -ez | parlerez |
| ils/elles | -ont | parleront |
For -re verbs: Drop the final -e before adding endings → vendre → je vendrai
Memory tip: The endings (-ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont) look like the present tense of avoir! (j'ai, tu as, il a... ils ont)
Common Irregular Stems
| Verb | Stem | Example |
|---|---|---|
| être | ser- | je serai |
| avoir | aur- | j'aurai |
| aller | ir- | j'irai |
| faire | fer- | je ferai |
| pouvoir | pourr- | je pourrai |
| vouloir | voudr- | je voudrai |
| venir | viendr- | je viendrai |
| voir | verr- | je verrai |
| savoir | saur- | je saurai |
| devoir | devr- | je devrai |
Note: These irregular stems are the same for both the future and the conditional tenses — learn them once, use them twice!
Present Conditional (Conditionnel présent)
Formation: future stem + imparfait endings
| Subject | Ending | Example: parler |
|---|---|---|
| je | -ais | parlerais |
| tu | -ais | parlerais |
| il/elle | -ait | parlerait |
| nous | -ions | parlerions |
| vous | -iez | parleriez |
| ils/elles | -aient | parleraient |
Memory trick: Conditional = future stem + imparfait endings. If you know the future and the imparfait, you already know the conditional!
Usage
| Usage | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Polite requests | Je voudrais un café. | I would like a coffee. |
| Hypothetical / if-clauses | Si j'avais le temps, je voyagerais. | If I had the time, I would travel. |
| Advice / suggestions | Tu devrais étudier. | You should study. |
TCF Tip: The conditional is very common in formal and polite speech. In TCF listening, je voudrais, pourriez-vous, and il faudrait are frequently heard in dialogues involving requests and suggestions.
If-clause pattern: si + imparfait → conditionnel (Si j'avais..., je ferais...). Never put the conditional in the si-clause itself!