Part A |  Part B  |  Part C  | Part D | Part E

Section Two - Part B

Comment exprimer l'avenir (à venir = what is to come)
We know how to talk in the present--about what is going on now. We also know how to talk about the past in a variety of ways. Sometimes we will want to talk about the future and what will happen in the future.

Here's the future: You take the infinitive of a regular verb... What is the infinitive? click here: It's the -er, -ir, -re, etc. form of the verb. Example: aller, finir, vendre, recevoir, etc.) ... and add the future endings! Facile! You don't even have to worry about finding a stem. (Just drop the final -e on -re verbs.)

infinitive +

-ai

-as

-a

-ons

-ez

-ont

A few things to note:

• The endings for nous and ils/elles sound alike, but will never be confused because of the subject pronoun.
• The endings (other than for nous and vous are the conjugation of the verb avoir in the present tense!
• Many of the verbs that are irregular in the present are regular in the future!
• The mark of the future (and the conditional) is the sound /r/ from the infinitive. That will also be true for irregular verbs.

Here's how you use it:

As the name indicates, it is used to express an action or event that will take place in the future. Here are some adverbial expressions that will tell you when to use the future tense:

Il passera son bac l'année prochaine.

Elle attendra demain pour aller à la bibliothèque.

There are times when you will want to express an action that WILL take place in the future IF certain conditions are met. This is called a SI Clause.

If the clause that starts with "si" (if) followed by the verb in the present tense; the verb in the main clause is in the future.

Si j'étudie, j'irai à l'université.

There is no doubt here. If this happens, then this will happen.

You're probably hoping there are no irregular verbs. Unfortunately, there are two types:

1. Stem-changing verbs that do not use the infinitive, but rather the 3rd person singular of the present tense as the stem. At least you don't have to learn a different form.

3rd person sing. + r + future endings

2. Verbs with irregular stems in the future. The endings are always regular, as the ones above that are used with all regular verbs.

* only with il

Au Travail! Ecris ces phrases dans ton cahier. Complète-les et ensuite clique sur Réponse: pour voir si tu as la même réponse.

1. Je ____________ (vouloir) être médecin. Pour cela, je _________ (faire) mes études en médecine. Réponse: voudrai; ferai
2. Mon père m' ___________ (acheter) une nouvelle voiture. Réponse: achètera
3. Il _____________(aller) en classe s'il se __________ (sentir) mieux. Réponse: ira; sentira
4. Nous vous ____________ (appeler) quand nous __________ (être)arrivés. Réponse: appellerons; serons
5. Elles ____________ (essayer) de venir le plus rapidement possible. Réponse: essaieront
6. Mon amie canadienne ____________ (aimer) beaucoup notre nouvelle maison. Réponse: aimera.

Avance à 2c.