How to write about future plans in French
Build a short French message about future plans. Adapt a weekend model, compare two future forms and check si and quand with a quiz and checklist.
In short
Start with a time frame, then connect two or three actions in order. Use aller in the present + infinitive for “going to”, or the simple future for “will”. Check si and quand separately: Si nous avons le temps, nous marcherons; Quand j’arriverai, nous déjeunerons.
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Turn four notes into one message
| Your note | French sentence | Job in the message |
|---|---|---|
| This weekend: visit a friend. | Ce week-end, je vais rendre visite à une amie. | Set the time frame and name the plan. |
| Saturday morning: train. | Samedi matin, je prendrai le train. | Give the first action a time. |
| Arrival: lunch together. | Quand j’arriverai chez elle, nous préparerons le déjeuner. | Connect arrival and the next action. |
| Sunday: return; work on Monday. | Dimanche, je rentrerai assez tôt parce que je travaillerai lundi. | End with the return and its reason. |
Read the complete message
Ce week-end, je vais rendre visite à une amie. Samedi matin, je prendrai le train. Quand j’arriverai chez elle, nous préparerons le déjeuner. Si nous avons le temps, nous ferons une promenade. Dimanche, je rentrerai assez tôt parce que je travaillerai lundi.
This weekend, I’m going to visit a friend. On Saturday morning, I’ll take the train. When I arrive at her home, we’ll prepare lunch. If we have time, we’ll go for a walk. On Sunday, I’ll return fairly early because I’ll be working on Monday.
The message moves from the overall plan to Saturday, then Sunday. The walk is conditional on having time. The reason for returning early belongs beside the return. To adapt the message, replace the visit, journey and activities with details that belong to your own weekend.
How do you write about future plans in French?
Je vais prendre le train.I’m going to take the train.
Focus: a plan presented from the current situation
present of aller + infinitive
Nous allons préparer le déjeuner.
We’re going to prepare lunch.
Je prendrai le train.I’ll take the train.
Focus: a future action stated directly
future stem + subject ending
Nous préparerons le déjeuner.
We’ll prepare lunch.
Both forms can describe the same weekend. You can keep a whole message in the futur proche: Je vais prendre le train. Nous allons déjeuner ensemble. You can also state the sequence in the futur simple. Let your intended message guide the choice; a date next week can work with either form.
| Meaning | French pattern | Model |
|---|---|---|
| If we have time… | si + present → future | Si nous avons le temps, nous ferons une promenade. |
| When I arrive… | quand + future → future | Quand j’arriverai, nous préparerons le déjeuner. |
In this open condition, avons stays present after si. In the future-time clause, French uses j’arriverai after quand, where English says “when I arrive”. For the simple future, check the stem too: prendre → prendr- and faire → fer-.