FUTUR PROCHE IN FRENCH: Rules, Examples & Exercises

“Quick Answer: What is futur proche in French?

Futur proche is the French near future tense used to talk about actions that someone is going to do or events that are expected to happen. It is formed using the present tense of aller (to go) + the infinitive of the main verb.”

Formula: Subject + aller (present tense) + infinitive

Examples:

• Je vais manger. — I am going to eat.
• Tu vas étudier. — You are going to study.
• Nous allons voyager. — We are going to travel.
• Elle va apprendre le français. — She is going to learn French.

Easy rule to remember: Conjugate aller according to the subject, but keep the second verb in its infinitive form.

📑 Table of Contents

1. What Is Futur Proche in French?
2. How to Form Futur Proche
3. Aller Conjugation Table
4. When to Use Futur Proche
5. Futur Proche Examples
6. Negative Sentences
7. Questions in Futur Proche
8. Futur Proche vs Futur Simple
9. Common Mistakes
10. Exercises With Answers
11. Frequently Asked Questions

🇫🇷 1. What Is Futur Proche in French?

Futur proche literally means “near future.” It is a common French grammatical construction used to express plans, intentions, and future events.

In English, it generally translates as “am going to,” “is going to,” or “are going to.”

For example:

• Je vais travailler. — I am going to work.
• Il va dormir. — He is going to sleep.
• Nous allons cuisiner. — We are going to cook.
• Elles vont sortir. — They are going to go out.

Futur proche is especially useful for beginners because its formation is simpler than that of many other French tenses.

🔵 2. How to Form Futur Proche in French

There are only two essential elements to remember.

Rule: Present tense of aller + infinitive of the main verb

Subject	Aller	Infinitive	Complete sentence
Je	vais	manger	Je vais manger.
Tu	vas	parler	Tu vas parler.
Il	va	dormir	Il va dormir.
Nous	allons	étudier	Nous allons étudier.
Vous	allez	travailler	Vous allez travailler.
Ils	vont	voyager	Ils vont voyager.

Important: The main verb stays in the infinitive. You do not conjugate both verbs.

Correct: Je vais manger. — I am going to eat.

Incorrect: Je vais mange.

🟠 3. Aller Conjugation Table

To use futur proche correctly, learn the present-tense conjugation of aller, which means “to go.”

French subject	Conjugation	English meaning
Je	vais	I go
Tu	vas	You go
Il / Elle / On	va	He / She / One or we go
Nous	allons	We go
Vous	allez	You go
Ils / Elles	vont	They go

Now add an infinitive to express a future action.

• Je vais lire. — I am going to read.
• Tu vas écrire. — You are going to write.
• Elle va cuisiner. — She is going to cook.
• Nous allons apprendre. — We are going to learn.
• Vous allez réussir. — You are going to succeed.
• Ils vont arriver. — They are going to arrive.

⭐ 4. When Do We Use Futur Proche?

There are four common situations in which you can use futur proche.

A. To Talk About Future Plans

Use futur proche when talking about things you plan to do.

• Je vais étudier ce soir. — I am going to study tonight.
• Nous allons visiter Paris. — We are going to visit Paris.
• Elle va acheter une robe. — She is going to buy a dress.

B. To Express Intentions

Use it to describe something you intend or have decided to do.

• Je vais apprendre le français. — I am going to learn French.
• Il va chercher un emploi. — He is going to look for a job.
• Nous allons commencer un nouveau projet. — We are going to start a new project.

C. To Describe Something That Is About to Happen

• Attention ! Tu vas tomber ! — Watch out! You are going to fall!
• Le train va partir. — The train is going to leave.
• Le verre va tomber. — The glass is going to fall.

D. To Make Predictions Based on Present Evidence

• Regarde les nuages ! Il va pleuvoir. — Look at the clouds! It is going to rain.
• Attention, la soupe va déborder ! — Be careful, the soup is going to overflow!

Remember: Futur proche is not limited to the next few minutes. You can use it for plans next week or next year, too.

Example: Nous allons déménager l’année prochaine. — We are going to move next year.

📚 5. Futur Proche Examples With English Meanings

Here are 12 useful sentences to practise.

French sentence	English translation
Je vais manger une pomme.	I am going to eat an apple.
Tu vas regarder un film.	You are going to watch a movie.
Il va travailler demain.	He is going to work tomorrow.
Elle va préparer le dîner.	She is going to prepare dinner.
Nous allons apprendre le français.	We are going to learn French.
Vous allez visiter le musée.	You are going to visit the museum.
Ils vont jouer au football.	They are going to play football.
Elles vont chanter une chanson.	They are going to sing a song.
Je vais appeler mon ami.	I am going to call my friend.
Tu vas prendre le bus.	You are going to take the bus.
Nous allons voyager demain.	We are going to travel tomorrow.
Il va arriver bientôt.	He is going to arrive soon.

⚠️ 6. How to Make Negative Sentences in Futur Proche

To make a negative sentence, put ne…pas around the conjugated form of aller.

Formula: Subject + ne/n’ + aller + pas + infinitive

Examples:

• Je ne vais pas sortir. — I am not going to go out.
• Tu ne vas pas travailler. — You are not going to work.
• Elle ne va pas venir. — She is not going to come.
• Nous n’allons pas voyager. — We are not going to travel.
• Ils ne vont pas jouer. — They are not going to play.

Easy rule: Put ne…pas around aller, not around the infinitive.

💬 7. How to Ask Questions in Futur Proche

You can ask questions in three common ways.

1. Intonation (everyday conversation)

• Tu vas étudier demain ? — Are you going to study tomorrow?

2. Est-ce que

• Est-ce que tu vas travailler ? — Are you going to work?
• Est-ce qu’elle va venir ? — Is she going to come?

3. Inversion (more formal)

• Vas-tu partir demain ? — Are you going to leave tomorrow?
• Allez-vous voyager ? — Are you going to travel?

For beginners, using est-ce que is a straightforward way to form questions.

🔍 8. Futur Proche vs Futur Simple

Both futur proche and futur simple express future actions, but their grammatical structures are different.

Futur proche	Futur simple
Je vais manger.	Je mangerai.
I am going to eat.	I will eat.
Present tense of aller + infinitive	Future-tense verb form
Often emphasizes plans or intentions connected to the present	Can present future events more neutrally or in a more formal context

More examples:

• Futur proche: Je vais étudier ce soir. — I am going to study tonight.
• Futur simple: J’étudierai demain. — I will study tomorrow.

Important: The difference is not simply that futur proche is for the near future and futur simple is for the distant future. Both can describe events that happen soon or much later.

❌ 9. Common Futur Proche Mistakes

Mistake 1: Conjugating Both Verbs

Incorrect: Je vais mange.

Correct: Je vais manger. — I am going to eat.

Mistake 2: Using the Wrong Form of Aller

Incorrect: Nous va étudier.

Correct: Nous allons étudier. — We are going to study.

Mistake 3: Adding À Before the Infinitive

Incorrect: Je vais à manger.

Correct: Je vais manger. — I am going to eat.

Mistake 4: Confusing Movement With Futur Proche

• Je vais à Paris. — I am going to Paris.
• Je vais visiter Paris. — I am going to visit Paris.

In the first sentence, vais expresses movement toward a destination. In the second, vais + visiter forms futur proche.

✍️ 10. Futur Proche Exercises With Answers

Test your understanding before checking the answers.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete each sentence with the correct form of aller.

1. Je ______ manger.
2. Tu ______ étudier.
3. Elle ______ voyager.
4. Nous ______ apprendre le français.
5. Vous ______ travailler.
6. Ils ______ jouer au football.

Exercise 2: Translate Into French

1. I am going to eat an apple.
2. She is going to study tonight.
3. We are going to travel tomorrow.
4. They are going to play football.
5. He is not going to work tomorrow.

Exercise 3: Correct the Mistakes

1. Je vais mange une pomme.
2. Nous va apprendre le français.
3. Elle va à regarder un film.
4. Je ne vais manger pas.
5. Ils va partir demain.

Answers

Exercise 1

1. vais
2. vas
3. va
4. allons
5. allez
6. vont

Exercise 2

1. Je vais manger une pomme.
2. Elle va étudier ce soir.
3. Nous allons voyager demain.
4. Ils vont jouer au football.
5. Il ne va pas travailler demain.

Exercise 3

1. Je vais manger une pomme.
2. Nous allons apprendre le français.
3. Elle va regarder un film.
4. Je ne vais pas manger.
5. Ils vont partir demain.

Practice challenge: Write five sentences about what you are going to do tomorrow. Use at least three different forms of aller.

❓ 11. Frequently Asked Questions About Futur Proche

What does futur proche mean in French?

Futur proche means “near future.” It expresses future actions, plans, intentions, or expected events. It commonly translates as “going to” in English.

How do you form futur proche?

Use the present tense of aller followed by the infinitive of the main verb.

Example: Je vais parler. — I am going to speak.

Is futur proche easy for beginners?

Yes. Its basic formula is simple, and you only need to conjugate aller. The main verb stays in the infinitive.

Is futur proche the same as futur simple?

No. Futur proche uses aller + infinitive, while futur simple uses a conjugated future form. Both express the future but may emphasize different perspectives.

Can futur proche be used for next year?

Yes. Futur proche can express plans for next year or other distant dates when the speaker presents them as intentions or expected events.

Example: Nous allons déménager l’année prochaine. — We are going to move next year.

How do you make futur proche negative?

Place ne…pas around the conjugated form of aller.

Example: Je ne vais pas sortir. — I am not going to go out.

Do you conjugate the main verb in futur proche?

No. The main verb remains in its infinitive form.

Correct: Elle va manger.

Incorrect: Elle va mange.

Conclusion

Futur proche is one of the most useful French grammar structures for beginners. It helps you talk about plans, intentions, predictions, and future events using a simple formula.

Remember: Futur proche = present tense of aller + infinitive.

Practise the examples, complete the exercises, and use this structure to describe your own plans in French.

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