Futur proche

Foreign Languages

Definition

The futur proche (near future) in French expresses actions that are about to happen. It is formed by conjugating the verb 'aller' in the present tense followed by an infinitive. It is equivalent to 'going to + verb' in English.

How It Works

  1. Identify the subject of the sentence.
  2. Conjugate 'aller' in the present tense to match the subject (je vais, tu vas, il/elle va, nous allons, vous allez, ils/elles vont).
  3. Add the infinitive of the main verb directly after.
  4. For negation, place 'ne...pas' around the conjugated form of 'aller': 'Je ne vais pas manger.'

Examples

  • 'Je vais manger' — I am going to eat
  • 'Nous allons partir demain' — We are going to leave tomorrow
  • 'Elle va étudier ce soir' — She is going to study tonight
Key Fact

Formula: subject + aller (present) + infinitive

Related Terms

Futur simple Future tense Être and avoir Ir + a + infinitive

Study This Concept

Practice futur proche with free review games in these units:

French 1-2 Unit 12: Future and Conditional