Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn how to use the verb "aller" in the futur proche to express near future actions, like "Je vais manger" (I am going to eat) or "Ils vont tousser" (They are going to cough), including its negative form.
  1. In the negative form, the verb aller is placed between the two negative markers. Example: Je ne vais pas rester ici.
Conjugaison de AllerExemples
Je vais + infinitifJe vais manger à vingt heures.  (I am going to eat at eight o'clock.)
Tu vas + infinitifTu vas éternuer dans le jardin.  (You are going to sneeze in the garden.)
Il/ Elle/ On va + infinitifIl va voir le médecin.  (He is going to see the doctor.)
Nous allons + infinitifNous allons tousser trois fois.  (We are going to cough three times.)
Vous allez + infinitifVous allez éternuer tous les deux.  (You are going to sneeze both.)
Ils/ Elles vont + infinitifElles vont se moucher souvent.  (They are going to blow their noses often.)

Exercise 1: Le futur proche : "Aller" + Infinitif

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

vont, allez, allons, vas, va, vais

1.
Ils ... avoir le nez qui coule cet hiver.
(They are going to have a runny nose this winter.)
2.
Nous ... souffrir d'un mal de ventre.
(We are going to suffer from a stomach ache.)
3.
Je ... tousser bientôt.
(I am going to cough soon.)
4.
Ils ... se moucher.
(They are going to blow their nose.)
5.
Vous ... éternuer à cause de l'allergie.
(You are going to sneeze because of the allergy.)
6.
Il ... se reposer ce soir.
(He is going to rest this evening.)
7.
Je ... aller à l'hôpital.
(I am going to go to the hospital.)
8.
Tu ... voir le docteur.
(You are going to see the doctor.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Je ___ prendre un médicament pour la fièvre.

(I ___ going to take medicine for the fever.)

2. Tu ___ aller chez le médecin demain.

(You ___ going to go to the doctor tomorrow.)

3. Nous ne ___ pas éternuer dans la salle d’attente.

(We ___ not going to sneeze in the waiting room.)

4. Il ___ se moucher parce qu’il a le nez qui coule.

(He ___ going to blow his nose because he has a runny nose.)

5. Vous ___ consulter le docteur cet après-midi.

(You ___ going to see the doctor this afternoon.)

6. Ils ___ tousser un peu à cause de l’allergie.

(They ___ going to cough a little because of the allergy.)

The Near Future Tense: Aller + Infinitive

This lesson introduces the French near future tense, used to talk about actions that are going to happen soon. It is formed by conjugating the verb aller (to go) in the present tense, followed by an infinitive verb.

Conjugation of Aller with Examples

Conjugation of AllerExamples
Je vais + infinitiveJe vais manger à vingt heures.
Tu vas + infinitiveTu vas éternuer dans le jardin.
Il/Elle/On va + infinitiveIl va voir le médecin.
Nous allons + infinitiveNous allons tousser trois fois.
Vous allez + infinitiveVous allez éternuer tous les deux.
Ils/Elles vont + infinitiveElles vont se moucher souvent.

Usage of the Near Future

The near future tense expresses events that will happen in the near future. It's commonly used to describe plans and intentions.

Forming Negative Sentences

In negative sentences, the conjugated verb aller is placed between ne and pas. For example: Je ne vais pas rester ici.

Important Vocabulary and Phrases

  • vais - I go / I am going to
  • vas - you go (singular informal)
  • va - he/she/one goes
  • allons - we go
  • allez - you go (plural or formal)
  • vont - they go
  • Infinitive verbs like manger (to eat), éternuer (to sneeze), voir (to see), tousser (to cough), se moucher (to blow one's nose)

Differences Between English and French

Unlike English, where the future tense is often formed with "will" or "going to," French uses the present tense of aller plus an infinitive verb to express a near future action. For example, English "I am going to eat" translates to French "Je vais manger." This construction is more immediate and commonly used for planned events or intentions.

Useful phrases for learners include:
Je vais partir - I am going to leave
Tu vas étudier - You are going to study
Nous allons regarder - We are going to watch

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Azéline Perrin

Bachelor Degree in Applied Foreign Languages

Université de Lorraine

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 17:22