# FR: futur proche / futur simple



## jemappelleK80

I think I have figured out the key to futur proche and futur simpe, but i was hoping to verify with some natives....

futur proche : quand je veux dire "i am going to" en anglais
futur simple: quand je veux dire "i will" en anglais

mais les deux sont également probable de se passent dans l'avenir.

je suis désolée pour mon franglais....

~K

*Moderator note: *multiple threads merged to create this one


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## depassage

'lo,

I will do this later : Je le ferai plus tard.
I'm going to do it right now : Je vais le faire tout de suite.

In fact, it's very close to english, since the same verb  (go->aller, in french) is used for the futur proche.


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## Catani

Hello all

I've tried to find info using a forum-search, but haven't found exactly what I'm after.

*Q.* is there any definite proximity-in-time distinction that differentiates between using, say

_Je vais partir_ and _je partirai_?

I have (at least, used to have) in my mind a vague guideline that the purer _futur simple_ (the second one above) refers to events farther into the future.
But then I have these doubts that lead me to say, e.g.

*Je vais partir en vacances juillet de l'année prochaine*

...and believe that this is interchangeable [?] with

*Je partirai en vacances [...]*

Y a quelqu'un qui puisse mettre au clair pour moi ce point de grammaire?

Merci d'avance et ciao

_Catani_


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## Jean-Michel Carrère

In my opinion, the difference between the two forms is the same as the difference between the "be going to" and the "will" forms in English.


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## zam

Yes, you're right J-M about 'be going to' and 'will', but whilst 'be going to' always expresses an immediate future ('immediate' here being relative) like 'je vais...',  'will' is not always 'as plain a future' as the French plain future ('rai', etc. at the end of a verb). Consider:

- I'll go now/I'll toddle off now = bon, je m'en vais
- I'll get the door = je vais ouvrir,  etc, etc.

('will' also has many more uses of course: habit, consent, request, likelihood, etc. but that's beside the point here).

To me, 'je vais partir + action' (intention in the future) is the same as 'je partirai' (but I'm no grammar expert !). 


                '


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## denis-a-paris

Hi all,

I am a first year French student and have recently learned that the technical term for "aller + infinitive" is known as "future proche", literally translated as "the near future". I'm not sure if it is really used that way (it seems to be), but that's what we learned. Of course, the "near future" is a very relative term. 1 minute, 1 day, 1 year in the future all could work. 

As J-M and zam have said, I find it also closely related to "I am going to <verb>" v. "I will <verb>" in english.

Cheers,
-denis


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## Catani

Merci de toutes vos réponses jusqu'ici, et à ceux qui répondront /(vont répondre ...  he,he) dès maintenant

Catani


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## Cuckoo

Hi All,

I just happened to see this post today while browsing. As I am also a beginner's level student of french language, I thought I can share my views on this. I agree with Denis as far as definition of "futur proche" is concerned.
"Je vais partir" is Futur Proche and "je partirai" is Futur Simple.
The difference between them is that in Futur Proche we are sure of doing things in 1 minute, 1 day, 1 year or whatever may the case be whereas in Futur Simple, it's probable chance or the time/place is not known.

In Catani's example, *Je vais partir en vacances juillet de l'année prochaine *is Future Proche (we are sure of the activity) but *Je partirai en vacances *is Future Simple (we don't know when or where).

Also, two verbs(vais, partir in the above example) are used for Futur Proche while Futur Simple has only one verb(partirai).

 Hope this clarifies it furthur.

Cheers!!!
Cuckoo


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## davidmaskill23

please could you answer some questions?

is this tense used mainly for speaking. 

is it as simple as, which ever form of aller and the  infinitive?

je vais manger
tu vas manger
il va manger
nous allons manger
vous allez manger
ils vont manger

thanks!


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## DearPrudence

*please could you answer some questions?* yes  

*is this tense used mainly for speaking.*  Sometimes we use the present tense as well (as in English).

*is it as simple as, which ever form of aller and the infinitive? * (sometimes French can be easy)

je vais manger
tu vas manger
il va manger
nous allons manger
vous allez manger
ils vont manger


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## Arenita

Here you can find something:

http://www.callisto.si.usherb.ca/~cfudes/passefutur.pdf 

Hope I helped
=Þ


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## davidmaskill23

thanks 

i bought a book 501 french verbs and it mentions 14 tense, but don't mention Futur proche. why is this?


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## DearPrudence

I suppose your book is about conjugation but as you pointed out rightly, there is nothing to conjugate really: it's just the conjugated form of "aller" + the infinitive of the verb.
This is different from the "futur simple" where there are exceptions, ... :
*devoir: je devrai: je vais devoir*
*pouvoir: je pourrai: je vais pouvoir*

Does it answer your question?


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## hellokitty

Hello!
I've learned in school to use the future tense like this:
Je parlerai....
However, I've seen people speak more like this:
Je vais parler....

Is there any difference?  Are they interchangeable when writing/speaking?

Thanks!
HelloKitty


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## Lany

We mostly use "Je vais parler" in spoken French altough both are very much the same. Je parlerai is most likely to be seen written in novels or can often be heard in narration.

If you want to sound natural, use "Je vais parler".

Hope this helps.


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## andrewsco

Hi,

If I wanted to say I am going to fix the barn would I say this? And he is going to fix the barn also?

Je reparai le toit de grange

Il repara le toit de grange

Thanks
Andrew


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## Nil-the-Frogg

"Je vais réparer le toit de la grange."

"Il va réparer..."


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## hunternet

--> Je vais réparer le toit de la grange. Lui aussi.


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## andrewsco

Ok, 

I'm a little confused. I was under the impression that to form the future tense you do what I did. Do you always use either je vais or je suis depending on which one it requires? 

Perhaps someone could explain the difference?

Thanks


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## Nil-the-Frogg

No. "I'm going to fix" -> "je vais réparer"
"I will fix" -> "Je réparerai"


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## Franglais1969

You didn't use the future.  You said "I am going to" Je vais faire quelque chose;

The future would indicate "I shall fix"....


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## renaudr

Hi,
Nil and Franglais are right and the future would be:
Je réparerai le toit de grange
 Il réparera le toit de grange


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## Nomnom

Hi there,

How exactly do you distinguish using futur proche from using futur simple?  They are both in the future but with futur proche the end is in sight?

Ex: If I wanted to say, "He will be going to Japan in January (elapsed time of approximately 2 months)" would you use futur proche or futur simple?

Thanks so much.


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## alargeau

I think you should distinguish tense from time.
Futur simple is a tense and futur proche is a time.
I can express futur proche (near future) with the present tense for instance: je pars demain (I'm leaving tomorrow). Note that this is also possible in English.
Will can express either futur proche or futur lointain.


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## Oluc (Yvon)

Le "futur proche" n'existe pas proprement parlant en français.  On rend le  "near future" en utilisant le verbe ALLER, comme en anglais : "Je partirai demain pour Tokyo" (I will go/be going to ... ) ou "Je VAIS partir demain" (I'm GOING to leave tomorrow).


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## alargeau

Je ne suis pas tout à fait d'accord avec vous. Le futur proche n'existe pas non plus alors en anglais. En français, je peux tout à fait dire 'je pars demain'. Il faut donc bien distinguer le temps (tense) du temps (time).


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## Oluc (Yvon)

Je disais que "futur proche" n'existe pas, ni en français ni en anglais, dans la nomenclature des conjugaisons, contrairement à l'italien qui a un "passé proche".  Dans les deux langues, on obtient ce "futur proche" en utilisant le verb "aller" ou "to go".
Le présent "Je pars demain" se rend en anglais par le "present continuous" : "I'm leaving tomorrow".


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## alargeau

D'accord, je comprends mieux maintenant ce que vous vouliez dire.
Notons tout de même que le present continuous employé comme futur implique un arrangement défini, ce qui n'est pas forcément vrai en français.


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## sharmaksunil

Quelle la difference en

Future Proche et future tense


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## Maître Capello

The near future (_futur proche_) is constructed using the auxiliary _aller_ + infinitive:

_Je mangerai_ (futur)
_Je vais manger_ (futur proche)

_Tu viendras_ (futur)
_Tu vas venir_ (futur proche)

_Elle partira _(futur)
_Elle va partir_ (futur proche)


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## helsbells4

What is the difference between the true future tense (e.g. je ferai) and the future expression using "aller faire" (e.g. je vais faire)

In English, the way I understand it, we use the true future tense (e.g. I will do) for example when we have just decided to do it, it's a new idea (e.g. You know what, I'll do the dishes once we've finished).  Whilst the future expression using "going to do" is to express plans that have already been made and are definite (e.g. Next month I'm going to start my project).

I know there are overlaps though...  How does it work in French?


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## Fred_C

Hi,
It does not work exactly in the same way. 
The difference is not how thoroughly you have planned to do something, it resides in the distance of the future you are expressing.
If you consider that this future is not very distant, you use the "aller faire" form.
Otherwise, you use the true future tense.

(But this distance is very relative, according to your context, of course.)


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## cocottelabroue

Hello, 

Although what *Fred C* is saying is correct, know that in Canada, le futur proche (je vais faire) and le futur simple (je ferai) are interchangeable. 

Canadians will mostly use le futur proche when they speak, and le futur simple when they write.

Brig!


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## Thrillhouse85

I don't undertand the difference between:

*"Je vais bien m'amuser ce soir"*

and

*"Je m'amuserai bien ce soir"*



What's the difference?


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## janpol

il n'y a pas de différence !
aller + infinitif = futur proche/immédiat, on utilise beaucoup cette forme quand on parle et on l'utilise de préférence pour des actions qui seront faites  dans peu de temps


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## Michel09

Thrillhouse85 said:


> I don't undertand the difference between:
> *"Je vais bien m'amuser ce soir"*
> and
> *"Je m'amuserai bien ce soir"*



You can think of the first as the "immediate future" (as exists in English).  This is formed by using the conjugated verb _to go_ (aller) + an infinitive. Thus, in your example, "I am _going_ to have fun this evening."

The second is the actual future tense of a verb.  "I _will_ have fun this evening."

I hope that helps.


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## Anna Märta

ce qui sont les différences entre futur simple et futur + aller. 

What are the difference between e.g. je vais aller and je irai?

What are you supposed to use when and in what contexts? 

Merci!


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## lidboymk2

Je vais à Londres vs j'irais à Londres

I understand that I am going and I will got to London are very similar, which is the more definite or clear please svp


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## Ellea1

Hello,

Je vais à Londres = I am going to London. (You're sure about it, you have booked your plane ticket, etc.)

J'irai à Londres = I will go to London. (You don't know when (the precise date) you will go, nothing has been organized yet)


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## Gérard Napalinex

You need to be careful here

J'irai*s* à Londres = I would go to London
J'irai à Londres = I shall go to London

I assume your question excludes the conditional form.

That being said, "je vais à Londres" shows a bit more certainty, meaning all your travel details are fixed.
"J'irai à Londres" would tell you have some points not settled yet, maybe because it is in a less near future.
That is a pretty subtle difference anyway.


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## lidboymk2

Pardon, my spelling mistake j'irai - I will go merci


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## lidboymk2

it can really be quite a tricky one, it's so easy to use the future proche.
Merci à vous


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## Bichelousse

In the BDL (Banque de Dépannage Linguistique), they say that what characterizes the futur proche is mainly that it is the only futur to be used when an action is on the verge of being realized. There is one main futur temporal reference point, and it can be occupied by the futur simple or the futur proche. The only difference between the two is register. Just like you would use the Tu and the Vous. To the extent that the futur simple can be used in oral speech to signal closure. Ex. Finalement, j'pense pas que j'irai avec vous. And even then, I could replace the futur simple by the futur proche. Ex. Finalement, j'pense pas que je vais y aller avec vous. 
There is a parallel with English to be made. Essentially, 'going to' is the equivalent of Aller + infinitive. Ex. I'm gonna call you tomorrow. Je vais t'appeler demain. And 'I will' corresponds to J'irai. Ex. I will definitely call you. Je vous appellerai sans faute. However, like in French, you could replace the futur simple by the futur proche. Ex. I'm definitely gonna call you. Je vais t'appeler sans faute. Only a question of register. 
Be weary of definitions such as that Futur proche is more certain and Futur simple is less sure. Like we have just seen, in contexts of Certainty, both are interchangeable.    
I will add on this thread, and enforce the fact that the difference is merely register, and this is illustrated by the fact that we tend to use more often the futur simple in the written language because written language tends to be more formal (though not always).

To sum up. There is one main futur temporal reference point, this one can be either expressed by the futur simple (+formal speech) or the futur proche (-formal speech). 

The true futur proche, in form and in character, has its reference point in the present and the only possible form is the futur proche (BDL).

And there is no such thing as certain or uncertain for the futur simple or its unformal Form Futur proche.


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## soleil-sol

Bonjour, I want to know if this sentence is gramatically correct. Il va arriver bientôt., or if I should say, Il arrivera bientôt.  Are they both correct?
va arriver, sounds to me as if va is an auxiliary verb that I can't find when I look up the different conjugations of arriver.
Thank you in advance.


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## Franglais1969

Hi,

Il va arriver = He is going to arrive
Il arrivera = He will arrive


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## catay

"Il va arriver" is the "futur proche" or near future use of the verb "aller" (conjugated in the present tense) + the infinitive to express that something will happen soon and is most often employed in oral language, a construction that is used in English as well:  "He is going to arrive soon."


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## WannaBFluent

*il va arriver bientôt* is correct but strange French, because as you say *bientôt* you don't really have to add *va*, because they both mean the same thing, that it is going to happen soon. so you should say, *il va arriver* or *il arrive bientôt*. (sound colloquial)
anyway *il arrivera bientôt* is correct 100%, and it sounds more formal.


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## sansserif

Hi,

I'm trying to understand the difference between _futur proche_ and _futur simple_. I have these two sentences in my textbook that I'm asked to translate into French. Now, these are originally in Swedish and I've translated them into English, but what I want you to talk about is if it's possible to know whether these sentences should be in _futur proche _or _futur simple_. Because without context, I'm almost thinking it could be either.

1. We will/We're going to bring magazines and books there. – Could be said a week or a minute before leaving for "there".
2. They will/They're going to ski there. – Again, we have no idea of when the skiing will happen.

Note that I believe it could be either _will_ or _be_ _going to._


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## Pauline Meryle

Just wanted to comment that in your first sentence, in English you would say "take" rather than "bring". I see no difference between the two forms of the future tense in that example.

In the second sentence, "going to" sounds better because it leaves the question of timing more open.


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## Oddmania

Hi,

In your second sentence, the _futur simple_ tense sounds off to me.

_"Ils skieront là-bas"_ amounts to saying _"They will ski there"_. In other word, they're going to do this once, and then walk off. I suspect it would be more common to say _They *will be skiing* there_ in English (but I'm not native speaker), because the _futur simple_ ("skieront / will ski") would imply a single one-off action in both languages (whereas their skiing is likely to be something "continuous").

In your first sentence, I think the straight-up rule applies. If the action is going to happen very soon and is clearly established in your mind, then the _futur proche_ is a safer bet. On the other hand, if it's more of schedule, the _futur simple_ will probably work better.


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## sansserif

I'm quite certain that the "correct" answers according to the book are the following (although I have no key).

1. Nous y apporterons des magazines et des livres.
2. Ils y feront du ski.

But if I've got it right ... If you imagine two people talking about a trip they will take the following day and that they say to a friend of theirs that "We will take magazines and books there." it should be in _futur proche. _It's already planned, it will happen. There's certainty.

If you on the other hand imagine the two friends in their planning stage, talking to each other about their trip, it should be _futur simple_: "Yeah, we should definitely go tent in the Alps. We will bring magazines and books [there] ...".

Is that correct?


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## Oddmania

Yes, this is my opinion too.


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## KennyHun

I guess it's all about perception, too. Apparently, if there is a "barrier", where you consider anything beyond this barrier as belonging to a separate "segment" in time, the futur simple is what would usually be used? I'm bringing this up and reviving this thread, because according to one of my teachers (the context is that of the general assembly of an international federation) you wouldn't say "[subject previously mentioned] On va y revenir après la pause déjeuner.", instead you'd have to say: "On y reviendra après la pause déjeuner."

Or am I overcomplicating things and is this because there is an adverbial phrase of time (après la pause déjeuner) which precludes the use of the futur proche in some way?


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## tewlwolow

I think your're right, Kenny. The action is not immediate because of_ la pause_, and also because it seems like a far-reaching plan. You wouldn't normally use futur proche in long-term arrangements, correct?

The only context I could find is when somebody asks you _when_ you will be back, and you want to express that it won't be long. In this case, _on va y revenir_ would serve well, I guess. I'm not fully sure, though.


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## janpol

Il me semble que l'emploi des deux formes du futur dans une même phrase ne serait pas une hérésie :
  « Pierre va aller vivre une année complète aux États-Unis puis il reviendra en France où il enseignera l'anglais dans un collège. »


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## tewlwolow

Oui, mais en ce cas là, il n'y a pas d'obstacle qui KennyHun a mentionné.


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## Maître Capello

tewlwolow said:


> You wouldn't normally use futur proche in long-term arrangements, correct?


No, not necessarily. The nearness of the near future is quite subjective. You may indeed say, _Il *va aller* aux États-Unis *l'année prochaine*_, while saying, _Il *ira* en Espagne *demain*_.


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