French Near Future — Aller + Infinitif
The near future (futur proche) is the easiest way to talk about the future in French. You simply combine the verb aller (to go) with any infinitive. If you already know aller, you already know half of this tense.
How It Works
Formula: aller (conjugated) + infinitive verb
| Pronoun | Aller | + Infinitive | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| je | vais | manger | I'm going to eat |
| tu | vas | partir | You're going to leave |
| il/elle | va | travailler | He/she is going to work |
| nous | allons | voyager | We're going to travel |
| vous | allez | comprendre | You're going to understand |
| ils/elles | vont | arriver | They're going to arrive |
Why it's great for beginners: You only need to conjugate aller. The second verb stays in the infinitive, no matter what. This lets you talk about the future with any verb — even ones you haven't learned to conjugate yet.
Example Sentences
- Je vais faire les courses. — I'm going to go grocery shopping.
- Tu vas aimer ce film. — You're going to like this movie.
- On va manger au restaurant ce soir. — We're going to eat at the restaurant tonight.
- Elle va commencer un nouveau travail. — She's going to start a new job.
- Nous allons visiter Paris en juillet. — We're going to visit Paris in July.
- Qu'est-ce que vous allez faire demain? — What are you going to do tomorrow?
Near Future in the Negative
Put ne...pas around aller (not around the infinitive):
- Je ne vais pas travailler demain. — I'm not going to work tomorrow.
- Nous n'allons pas sortir ce soir. — We're not going out tonight.
- Tu ne vas pas comprendre. — You're not going to understand.
When to Use It
The futur proche is used for:
- Immediate plans: Je vais manger. (I'm about to eat.)
- Near future events: Il va pleuvoir demain. (It's going to rain tomorrow.)
- Intentions: Nous allons apprendre le français. (We're going to learn French.)
At A1 level, the futur proche is all you need to talk about the future. The formal future tense (futur simple) comes later at A2/B1. Native French speakers use the futur proche far more often in everyday conversation.
Common Mistakes
- Conjugating both verbs: "Je vais mange" → Incorrect. Only aller conjugates: "Je vais manger."
- Forgetting aller: "Je manger demain" → Incorrect. You need aller: "Je vais manger demain."
- Wrong negation position: "Je vais ne pas manger" → Incorrect. Ne...pas goes around aller: "Je ne vais pas manger."
- Confusing aller (movement) with aller (future): "Je vais au cinéma" = I'm going to the cinema (movement). "Je vais regarder un film" = I'm going to watch a movie (future). Context makes it clear.
Related Grammar
- Être, Avoir, Aller — you need aller conjugation first
- French Negation — ne...pas with the near future
- French Partitive Articles — du, de la, des
Practice the Near Future with AI
Flamingua teaches the futur proche through conversations about plans, weekends, and travel. Tell AI what you're going to do — and get instant feedback on pronunciation and grammar.
