Key takeaways
- The futur proche (immediate future) is formed with: conjugated aller (present tense) + infinitive of main verb.
- It is the most natural way to express plans, intentions, and near-future events in everyday spoken and written French.
- The futur proche is more common than the futur simple in conversation. Most French speakers default to it when talking about things that will happen soon.
- In the negative, ne and pas wrap around the conjugated form of aller: je ne vais pas manger (I am not going to eat).
- Reflexive verbs in the futur proche keep their reflexive pronoun before the infinitive: elle va se coucher tôt.
This guide covers the futur proche formation, all six conjugated forms, negative and question structures, how it differs from the futur simple, and reflexive verbs in the futur proche. italki connects you with French teachers from our community of 30,000+ professional tutors who can drill the futur proche with you in realistic conversation until it comes out naturally.
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Formation: Three steps
- Take the subject.
- Conjugate aller (to go) in the present tense for that subject.
- Add the infinitive of the main verb.
| Subject | Aller | Futur proche (manger) |
|---|---|---|
| je | vais | vais manger |
| tu | vas | vas manger |
| il/elle/on | va | va manger |
| nous | allons | allons manger |
| vous | allez | allez manger |
| ils/elles | vont | vont manger |
The infinitive never changes. Only aller is conjugated. Ready to form the futur proche? Work with a French teacher to practice conjugating aller in context.
Examples in context
Immediate future: Je vais partir tout de suite. (I am going to leave right away.) / Il va pleuvoir. (It is going to rain.) Plans for today or tomorrow: Elle va cuisiner ce soir. / Nous allons voir ce film demain. Longer-term plans: Je vais commencer un nouveau travail en septembre.
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Negative form
Structure: ne + aller + pas + infinitive
| Positive | Negative |
|---|---|
| je vais manger | je ne vais pas manger |
| tu vas partir | tu ne vas pas partir |
| elle va venir | elle ne va pas venir |
| nous allons rester | nous n’allons pas rester |
| ils vont travailler | ils ne vont pas travailler |
Start practising negative statements with a French tutor online on italki.
Reflexive verbs in the futur proche
The reflexive pronoun changes to match the subject and appears before the infinitive:
- Je vais me coucher. (I am going to go to bed.)
- Il va se dépêcher. (He is going to hurry.)
- Nous allons nous retrouver à midi.
For the full guide on reflexive verbs, see how to conjugate reflexive verbs in French. Find an online French tutor on italki who drills reflexive verbs in the futur proche and book your trial lesson today. Futur proche vs. futur simple
| Futur proche | Futur simple |
|---|---|
| More common in spoken conversation | More common in formal writing and formal speech |
| Presents events as planned, certain, or already decided | Can express more distant, hypothetical, or conditional futures |
| Widely used regardless of time horizon | Also used for conditions: s’il fait beau, nous irons à la plage |
For more on tense distinctions in practice, see this guide onpassé composé vs. imparfait, which covers a related contrast between tenses.
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Practice
Convert to futur proche:
- Je mange une pizza. (tonight) → Je vais manger une pizza ce soir.
- Ils partent en vacances. (next week) → Ils vont partir en vacances la semaine prochaine.
- Tu te lèves tôt. (tomorrow) → Tu vas te lever tôt demain.
Futur proche fluency comes from using it repeatedly in real planning conversations. With 30,000+ expert tutors trusted by over 10 million learners worldwide, italki has French teachers who can conduct interviews about your plans and weekend activities using only the futur proche, building your active command of the structure. Book a trial lesson and ask your teacher to interview you about your plans for this week using only the futur proche.
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FAQ
Can I use the futur proche for things I am definitely NOT going to do?
Yes. The negative form (ne + aller + pas + infinitive) works for plans you have ruled out: je ne vais pas y aller, elle ne va pas accepter. Is aller in the futur proche always “to go”? Context determines this. If aller is followed by a noun or place, it means “to go.” If followed by an infinitive, it forms the futur proche. What about the futur proche of aller itself? Use aller twice: je vais aller. Je vais aller au supermarché. This is perfectly natural in French.
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