Futur simple: être, avoir, aller, faire (irregular stems)
The Futur Simple — The “Fantastic Four” Irregular Verbs
While most verbs in futur simple use the entire infinitive as the radical, these four are special — they completely change their base.
The Four Irregular Verbs
| Verb | Radical | Example (je) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Être | ser- | Je serai | I will be |
| Avoir | aur- | J'aurai | I will have |
| Aller | ir- | J'irai | I will go |
| Faire | fer- | Je ferai | I will do/make |
These four verbs appear all the time in French, so learning their radicals is essential.
How to Use Them
The endings stay the same as regular futur simple (-ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont).
Examples:
- Tu seras prêt → You will be ready
- Il aura faim → He will be hungry
- Nous irons au cinéma → We will go to the cinema
- Vous ferez vos devoirs → You will do your homework
Just attach the futur simple endings to the irregular radical, and you’re done!
Key Takeaways
- Most futur simple verbs = infinitive + endings
- The “Fantastic Four” = Être, Avoir, Aller, Faire → use ser-, aur-, ir-, fer-
- Endings = same as AVOIR present (-ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont)
- These verbs are extremely common → mastering them is crucial for talking about the future
- Practice makes these radicals instinctive in conversation
In the app, you will find interactive exercises and quizzes tailored for this intermediate level.
Practice French conjugation for free in the Croissant Verbs app
Quizzes and spaced repetition for every tense, for free on your phone—plus short grammar guides on our Learn hub.
