Grammar: Present meaning Future

ByFast French

In French, you don’t always have to use the Future Simple tense to talk about the future. You don’t even have to use the Near Future tense. You can just use the Present Tense, provided that you also specify a time that will occur sometime in the near future, eg “this evening,” “tomorrow,” or even “next week.”

French people will often use this same approach when they speak English, saying things like, “I see you tomorrow.” English speakers would say, “I’ll see you tomorrow,” but French speakers are used to saying, “I see you tomorrow,” and many see no reason why they should not use the same construction in English.

Examples

Present tenseLiteral meaningActual meaning
Je te vois demainI see you tomorrowI will/I’ll see you tomorrow
On se parle la semaine prochaineWe speak to each other next weekWe will/we’ll speak to each other next week
Il vous appelle vendrediHe calls you FridayHe will/he’ll call you on Friday
Tu me rappelles ce soir ?You call me back this evening?Will you call me back tonight?

Subscribe to be informed of new posts!

Don’t miss new articles!

Get 1 email a week with new articles about French

We don’t spam! Read more in our privacy policy

Similar Posts

  • Verb: réussir

    ByFast French

    The French verb “réussir” means “to succeed,” but it can also mean “to achieve,” “to carry off (something) successfully,” “to win,” or “to pass (an exam).” Etymology: The word “réussir” was borrowed in the early 16th century from the Italian verb “riuscire,” meaning “to re-issue” or “to go out again.” The Italian “riuscire,” is made up…

  • |

    -al words

    ByFast French

    French words that end in the letters “al” can be a trap for learners. That’s because in the plural, they change their spelling to “aux.” The classic example is “un cheval,” which in the plural becomes “des chevaux.” But this applies to every single noun and adjective ending in the letters “al.” Nouns are relatively…

  • aller

    ByFast French

    In French, one of the most important verbs is “aller,” which means “to go.” Let’s look at how it works in different situations. Present Tense: In the present tense, “aller” (to go) is conjugated as follows: Example: Je vais au cinéma ce soir. (I am going to the cinema tonight.) Imperfect Tense: When describing ongoing…