Chapter 9 of 17 · Conjugating French Without Hesitating
Chapter 8. The futur, built on the infinitive
A tense built on the whole infinitive, with an r that is always heard and an e that is written without being heard.
The only tense that keeps the whole infinitive
For most verbs, the futur (the simple future) does not call for looking for a stem: you take the infinitive as it stands and stick the ending on behind it. Chanter gives je chanterai, finir gives je finirai, partir gives je partirai. That way of doing things exists nowhere else in French conjugation, and it is what makes this tense easy.
One sound signals the futur beyond doubt: the r that comes before the ending. It is heard in every person, singular and plural. When you doubt that you have written a futur, look for the r: if it is not there, it is not a futur.
The endings, for their part, can also be recognised: they are, give or take two persons, the présent (the present tense) forms of the verb avoir. J'ai gives -ai, tu as gives -as, il a gives -a, ils ont gives -ont. Only the persons "nous" and "vous" do not follow that likeness.
| Person | Chanter | Finir | Ending |
|---|---|---|---|
| je | je chanterai | je finirai | -ai |
| tu | tu chanteras | tu finiras | -as |
| il, elle, on | il chantera | il finira | -a |
| nous | nous chanterons | nous finirons | -ons |
| vous | vous chanterez | vous finirez | -ez |
| ils, elles | ils chanteront | ils finiront | -ont |
Exercise 33. The infinitive plus the ending
Copy out each sentence, writing the verb in the futur. Write the whole infinitive before adding the ending.
- Demain, je (ranger) ma chambre.
- Tu (finir) plus tard.
- Il (arriver) par le train de midi.
- Nous (partir) avant la pluie.
- Vous (choisir) une place au calme.
- Ils (rentrer) à la nuit tombée.
- On (dormir) mieux ici.
- Les travaux (durer) tout l'été.
- Tu (grandir) encore.
- Je (téléphoner) ce soir.
- Nous (réfléchir) à ta proposition.
- Elle (sortir) dans dix minutes.
Reminder · infinitives in -re lose their e
Verbs whose infinitive ends in -re give up that final e before the ending, so that the r of the futur stays in contact. Prendre gives je prendrai, dire gives je dirai, écrire gives j'écrirai, attendre gives j'attendrai, mettre gives je mettrai.
Nothing else changes: the rest of the infinitive is kept whole, double consonants included. The rule fits in one sentence: you take off the final e, never anything else. It holds for the infinitives in -re that build their futur on the infinitive, including those this workbook does not drill elsewhere. A handful of very common verbs escape it by changing stem, and être and faire are among them: je serai, je ferai. The next chapter gives them all.
Exercise 34. Infinitives in -re
Copy out each sentence, writing the verb in the futur.
- Je (prendre) le premier train.
- Tu (dire) ce que tu penses.
- Il (attendre) sous le porche.
- Nous (comprendre) mieux demain.
- Vous (écrire) la réponse au dos.
- Ils (mettre) la table.
- On (apprendre) la nouvelle par le journal.
- Elle (répondre) dans la semaine.
- Nous (descendre) à l'arrêt suivant.
- Tu (rendre) le livre à la bibliothèque.
The trap of the futur is an e that is written without being heard. One says "je jourai", one writes je jouerai, because the infinitive is jouer and it stays whole. The same silent e hides in j'oublierai, tu crieras, nous étudierons, elle remerciera, vous continuerez. If the infinitive ends in -er or in -ier, the e is there, whatever the ear may say about it. Verbs in -yer add one more change in every person of the futur: their y becomes i, as in je nettoierai, tu essuieras, il appuiera. Those whose infinitive ends in -ayer, such as payer, balayer and essayer, keep both their spellings in the futur as in the présent: je paierai or je payerai.
Exercise 35. The e that is not heard
Copy out each sentence, writing the verb in the futur. First write the whole infinitive on your sheet, then add the ending.
- Je (jouer) avec vous tout à l'heure.
- Tu (oublier) tout cela très vite.
- Il (crier) si on le laisse seul.
- Nous (étudier) la question demain.
- Vous (continuer) sans moi.
- Elles (remercier) leurs hôtes.
- On (nettoyer) la cuisine après.
- Les enfants (essuyer) leurs pieds.
- Tu (plier) les draps.
- Nous (louer) une voiture sur place.
- Je (payer) ma part.
- Il (appuyer) sur le bouton rouge.
Exercise 36. A plan in the futur
Copy out the text, writing every verb in the futur.
- L'été prochain, nous (partir) tous ensemble.
- Mon frère (louer) une maison près de la rivière.
- Nous (arriver) le premier soir avant la nuit.
- Les enfants (dormir) dans la grande chambre.
- Je (préparer) le repas du premier jour.
- Tu (chercher) du bois pour la cheminée.
- Vous nous (rejoindre) le lendemain.
- On (marcher) jusqu'au moulin.
- Les journées (passer) trop vite.
- Nous (rentrer) fatigués et contents.