Verbs: Near Future Tense

The near future tense in French is used to talk about events that are going to happen in the near future. It is formed by using the present tense of the verb "aller" (to go) followed by the infinitive of the main verb.

Formation of the Near Future Tense

To form the near future tense, follow these steps:

1. Conjugate the verb "aller" in the present tense according to the subject pronoun:

   • Je vais (I am going)
   • Tu vas (You are going)
   • Il/Elle/On va (He/She/One is going)
   • Nous allons (We are going)
   • Vous allez (You are going)
   • Ils/Elles vont (They are going)

2. Add the infinitive form of the main verb immediately after the conjugated form of "aller":

   • Je vais manger (I am going to eat)
   • Tu vas dormir (You are going to sleep)
   • Il/Elle/On va travailler (He/She/One is going to work)
   • Nous allons partir (We are going to leave)
   • Vous allez voyager (You are going to travel)
   • Ils/Elles vont étudier (They are going to study)

Usage of the Near Future Tense

The near future tense is commonly used in French to express:

• Immediate actions: Je vais sortir (I am going to go out)
• Future plans: Nous allons visiter Paris (We are going to visit Paris)
• Predictions: Il va pleuvoir (It is going to rain)
• Intentions: Je vais acheter une nouvelle voiture (I am going to buy a new car)

Contractions with "aller"

When "aller" is used in the near future tense, it can be contracted with certain words:

• À + le = au: Je vais au cinéma (I am going to the cinema)
• À + les = aux: Nous allons aux Etats-Unis (We are going to the United States)
• De + le = du: Tu vas du travail à la maison (You are going from work to home)
• De + les = des: Il va des amis à la fête (He is going from friends to the party)

Time Expressions

You can combine the near future tense with time expressions to indicate when the action will take place. Here are some examples:

• Demain (Tomorrow): Je vais partir demain (I am going to leave tomorrow)
• Ce soir (Tonight): Nous allons dîner au restaurant ce soir (We are going to have dinner at the restaurant tonight)
• La semaine prochaine (Next week): Ils vont déménager la semaine prochaine (They are going to move next week)

Remember that time expressions usually come after the conjugated form of "aller" and before the infinitive verb.

Verbs with Irregular Stem for "aller"

Some verbs have an irregular stem in the near future tense when used with "aller":

• Venir (to come): Je vais venir (I am going to come)
• Devoir (to have to): Tu vas devoir étudier (You are going to have to study)
• Pouvoir (to be able to): Il/Elle/On va pouvoir le faire (He/She/One is going to be able to do it)
• Vouloir (to want to): Nous allons vouloir partir tôt (We are going to want to leave early)

Summary

By using the near future tense with "aller" followed by the infinitive form of the main verb, you can easily talk about events that will happen in the near future. Remember to conjugate "aller" according to the subject pronoun and to use time expressions to indicate when the action will take place. Keep practicing to become more comfortable with this tense and start using it in your conversations!