The faire futur simple is the future tense form of the French verb "faire," meaning "to do" or "to make." It expresses actions that will occur in the future, such as "I will do" or "we will make."
French uses a single future tense structure derived from the infinitive form of the verb. For "faire," this becomes "je ferai," "tu feras," "il/elle fera," and so on. This tense is formed by adding specific endings to the infinitive stem, which remains unchanged.
Unlike English, which uses auxiliary verbs like "will" or "shall," French future tense is a single inflected form. The future of "faire" follows the regular pattern for -er verbs, though "faire" itself is irregular in the present tense. The future form is regularized in the future tense, making it predictable once the stem is known.
The faire futur simple is constructed using the infinitive form of "faire" as the base. The stem "fer-" is derived from "faire" by dropping the final "-e" and replacing it with the future ending. This stem is then combined with subject-specific endings.
For example: - je ferai = I will do - tu feras = you will do - il/elle fera = he/she will do - nous ferons = we will do - vous ferez = you will do (formal/plural) - ils/elles feront = they will do
This structure applies uniformly across all verbs ending in -er, -ir, and -re. The only variation lies in the stem. For "faire," the stem is "fer-", not "fais-," which appears in the present tense. This distinction is critical-misapplying the present-tense stem leads to errors.
All French future tense verbs follow the same pattern: stem + future ending. The endings are consistent across all verbs:
| Subject | Ending | Example: faire |
|---|---|---|
| je | -ai | je ferai |
| tu | -as | tu feras |
| il/elle/on | -a | il fera |
| nous | -ons | nous ferons |
| vous | -ez | vous ferez |
| ils/elles | -ont | ils feront |
While most verbs follow this pattern, exceptions exist. For instance, "aller" (to go) uses "irai," "iras," etc., based on the stem "ir-." But "faire" consistently uses "fer-," making it predictable.
A common mistake is confusing the future tense with the conditional. The conditional uses the same stem but different endings: "je ferais" (I would do). The future is unambiguous in context, but learners often mix them in spoken French.
The faire futur simple is used to describe planned or expected future events. It is standard in both formal and informal speech, especially in narratives, instructions, and predictions.
Example: Je ferai mes devoirs après le dîner. (I will do my homework after dinner.)
It is preferred over "aller + infinitive" in formal writing. While "Je vais faire mes devoirs" is correct and common in spoken French, "Je ferai mes devoirs" is more concise and appropriate in academic or official contexts.
According to the Académie française, the future tense is required in legal documents and contracts to denote obligations that will take effect later. For example, "Les parties signeront l'accord demain" (The parties will sign the agreement tomorrow) is standard phrasing in French legal texts.
Many learners assume that "faire" in the future follows the present-tense stem "fais-." This results in incorrect forms like "je ferais" (which is conditional) or "je faisai" (which is past conditional).
Another error is misplacing the pronoun. In French, object pronouns come before the verb. So "Je te ferai la cuisine" (I will cook for you) is correct, while "Je ferai te la cuisine" is not.
Non-native speakers often overuse "je vais faire" instead of "je ferai." While both are grammatically valid, "je ferai" is more direct and preferred in formal writing. The "aller + infinitive" construction implies intention or immediate action, whereas the future tense indicates certainty or prediction.
For example, in a business email: "Nous ferons une réunion lundi." (We will hold a meeting on Monday.) This is clearer and more professional than "Nous allons faire une réunion."
I once corrected a student's essay where she wrote "Il fera les courses demain" but followed it with "Je vais acheter du pain." The inconsistency was jarring. After explaining that "fera" implies a firm plan, she adjusted her sentence to "Il fera les courses demain, et je ferai mon marché plus tard." The future tense became a tool for consistency, not just grammar.
Let's build a complete sentence using faire futur simple:
Final sentence: Nous ferons les devoirs ensemble. (We will do the homework together.)
This structure applies to all subjects. For "vous," it becomes "vous ferez," and for "ils," "ils feront."
One overlooked point: the future tense cannot be used to describe habitual actions. "Je ferai mes devoirs tous les jours" sounds unnatural. Instead, use the present tense: "Je fais mes devoirs tous les jours." The future is reserved for future time frames, not routines.
The future tense is not used in subordinate clauses introduced by "quand" (when) or "si" (if) unless the main clause is in the future. For example: "Quand tu arriveras, je ferai le dîner." (When you arrive, I will make dinner.) Here, "arriveras" is in the future because the action depends on a future event.