French Grammar: The Future Tense with [QUAND] and Other Conjunctions

Posted by LEAF Architect on Wednesday, July 9, 2014 · Leave a Comment

Creative Commons Image via The LEAF Project

Identify:

French Grammar: The Future Tense with [QUAND] and Other Conjunctions
la grammaire française: le temps futur avec [quand] et autres conjonctions

Quand il voyagera en France, il mangera beaucoup de fromage.
When he (will) travel to France, he will eat a lot of cheese.

Nous verrons la Tour Eiffel dès que nous arriverons au bout de cette rue.
We will see the Eiffel Tower as soon as we (will) get to the end of that street.

Je te téléphonerai aussitôt qu’elle arrivera.
I will phone you (familiar) as soon as she will arrive.
(Literally: I will phone you as soon as she arrives.)

The FUTURE TENSE is used to tell what will take place in the future. In this sense, the future tense is used in French just like it is in English. However, in French, the future tense is also used in certain clauses that would take the present tense in English.

Study:

Most notably, French uses the future tense after certain expressions of time when the action is to happen in the future. In English, these same expressions of time are normally used with the present tense.

The expressions of time which require the future tense in French are:

une fois que : once

Les grand-parents iront à l’hôpital une fois que le bébé naîtra.
The grandparents will go to the hospital once the baby is born.
(Literally: The grandparents will go to the hospital once the baby will be born – because it hasn’t been born yet!)

tant que : as long as / while / since

Tant que tu habiteras ici, tu payeras le loyer.
As long as you live here, you will pay rent.
(Literally: As long as you will live here, you will pay rent.)

quand : when

Quand j’aurai 65 ans, je prendrai ma retraite.
When I am 65 years old, I will retire.
(Literally: When I will have 65 years, I will retire – because I’m not 65 yet!)

lorsque : when

Vous recevrez un salaire augmenté lorsque vous obtiendrez une promotion.
You (formal) will receive a raise when you get a promotion.
(Literally: You [formal] will receive a raise when you will get a promotion
– because you haven’t been promoted yet!)

NOTE: “Quand” and “lorsque” are synonyms for ‘when’. “Lorsque” is considered more formal; many native French speakers will use “quand” when speaking, but “lorsque” when writing. Moreover, “lorsque” can never be used to frame a question – only “quand” can be used for that.

dès que : as soon as

Dès que l’avion atterrira, tu m’envoies un texto!
As soon as the plane lands, text me!
(Literally: As soon as the plane will land, text me! – because the plane hasn’t landed yet!)

aussitôt que : as soon as

Je sortirai aussitôt que la reunion finira.
I will leave as soon as the meeting ends.
(Literally: I will leave as soon as the meeting will end – because the meeting hasn’t ended yet!)

NOTE: “Dès que” and “aussitôt que” are synonyms for ‘as soon as’. “Aussitôt que” has somewhat more of a sense of urgency. However, most native French speakers tend to only use “dès que” nowadays.

Adapt:

J’irai à l’hôtel dès que j’arriverai.
I will go to the hotel as soon as I arrive.
(Literally: I will go to the hotel as soon as I will arrive.)

Ils seront contents lorsque le semestre finira.
They will be happy when the semester ends.
(Literally: They will be happy when the semester will end.)

On sortira une fois que tu finiras tes devoirs.
We will leave once you finish your homework.
(Literally: We will leave once you will finish your homework.)

Faites-moi savoir quand elle sera prête.
Let me know when she is ready.
(Literally: Let me know when she will be ready.)