🎓 Prepared by students from Boğaziçi University

What is Futur Proche?

Futur proche (near future) is a French grammatical tense used to express actions or events that are about to happen. It combines the present tense of 'aller' (to go) with an infinitive verb.

Short answer

Futur proche is formed as: aller (present) + infinitive. It expresses immediate future — 'Je vais parler' = 'I'm going to speak.'

Futur Proche Structure

1
Subject Pronoun
je, tu, il, elle, nous, vous, ils, elles
↓
2
Aller in Present
vais, vas, va, allons, allez, vont
↓
3
+ Infinitive Verb
parler, manger, aller, finir, etc.
↓
4
Complete Futur Proche
Je vais parler, Tu vas manger, etc.

Step-by-step worked examples

Conjugate 'Je vais parler' and explain: I'm going to speak tomorrow.

Subject: Je (I)
Aller: vais (present of aller for je)
Infinitive: parler (to speak)
Complete form: Je vais parler
Meaning: I'm going to speak (about to happen)

Form futur proche: 'Nous allons manger à 19h.' (We're going to eat at 7 PM.)

Subject: Nous (We)
Aller: allons (present of aller for nous)
Infinitive: manger (to eat)
Complete form: Nous allons manger
Timing: immediate future event

Conjugate for 'Ils vont finir le projet.' (They're going to finish the project.)

Subject: Ils (They)
Aller: vont (present of aller for ils)
Infinitive: finir (to finish)
Complete form: Ils vont finir
Context: planned near-future action

Flashcards

Quick quiz

Q1.What is the correct futur proche form of 'I'm going to read'?

Correct answer: A. Futur proche = present aller + infinitive. 'Je vais' (I'm going) + 'lire' (to read).

Q2.Which is NOT a conjugation of 'aller' in present tense?

Correct answer: D. 'Tu iras' is future simple, not present. Present is 'tu vas'.

Q3.'Elles vont danser demain.' What does this mean?

Correct answer: C. Futur proche = near future. 'Demain' means tomorrow.

Q4.Complete: 'Nous ___ finir le travail ce soir.'

Correct answer: A. Nous (we) takes 'allons'. 'Nous allons finir' = We're going to finish.

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Common mistakes

✗

Using future simple ('Je lirai') instead of futur proche. — Correct: Use 'Je vais lire' for immediate future. Future simple is for distant future.

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Conjugating the infinitive verb (e.g., 'Je vais parlé'). — Correct: The infinitive never changes. Only 'aller' conjugates.

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Forgetting to use 'aller' (e.g., 'Je parler demain'). — Correct: Futur proche always has aller + infinitive.

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Mixing up 'aller' forms (e.g., 'Je allons'). — Correct: Match the subject: je vais, nous allons, etc.

FAQ

What is futur proche in French grammar?

Futur proche is a near-future tense using aller (present) + infinitive to express immediate or planned future actions.

How do you form futur proche?

Conjugate 'aller' in the present tense, then add an infinitive verb. Example: Je vais parler.

What's the difference between futur proche and future simple?

Futur proche expresses immediate future ('going to'); future simple is for more distant future. Proche is aller + infinitive; simple is a single conjugated form.

Can you use futur proche in written French?

Yes, it's very common in both spoken and written French, especially for planned or imminent actions.