Futur Proche: The Easy French Future (Aller + Infinitive)

Want to talk about the future in French without learning a single new ending? The futur proche — aller + infinitive — is how French speakers actually discuss plans, and if you know the present tense of aller, you already own it.

The formula

aller (present) + infinitive. Exactly like English “going to”:

• Je vais manger. — I’m going to eat.
• Tu vas adorer ce film. — You’re going to love this film.
• On va voir. — We’ll see.
• Ils vont arriver demain. — They’ll arrive tomorrow.

Negation and reflexives

Ne…pas wraps around ALLER, not the infinitive: Je ne vais pas venir. Reflexive pronouns stick to the infinitive: Je vais me coucher (I’m going to bed) — not « je me vais coucher ».

Futur proche or futur simple?

In everyday speech the futur proche does most of the work — even for events months away, as long as they feel decided: « On va se marier l’année prochaine. »

The mirror twin: passé récent

The same trick works backwards with venir: venir de + infinitive = to have JUST done something. Je viens de manger — I just ate. Plans ahead with aller, fresh news behind with venir: two tenses for the price of two verbs you already know.

And for the mirror image — the past you can see from here — meet venir de, the ’I just did it’ construction.

FAQ

Do I conjugate the second verb?

Never — it stays in the infinitive: nous allons partir, vous allez comprendre. Only aller changes.

Can futur proche be used in the past?

Yes, elegantly: imparfait of aller + infinitive = “was about to”: J’allais partir quand tu as appelé (I was about to leave when you called).

When must I use the futur simple instead?

After quand referring to the future (quand tu arriveras…), in formal writing, and for si-clause results — see the si clauses guide. Everywhere else, futur proche is safe.

Master aller in every tense first, then place the futur proche in the big picture with the complete tense guide and the present tense lesson.

Quick practice

🎬 Watch next: Hear the futur proche on the streets of Paris — Easy French asks « What are your plans tonight? ».

📊 Chart it: The engine of the futur proche, fully conjugated: the aller chart.