Le futur en anglais présente une structure notablement différente de celle des autres temps de la langue Anglaise. Plutôt que de suivre un modèle de conjugaison fixe, il se compose de plusieurs mots tels que « will » et « going to », principalement utilisés pour parler d’événements à venir. Ci-dessous, vous trouverez des exemples du « future simple » utilisant à la fois « will » et « going to », ainsi que du « futur continu » utilisant également ces deux termes. Les nuances entre les deux sont perceptibles, comme nous le constaterons.
Il convient de souligner que le futur simple en français n’est pas équivalent au « future simple » en anglais. En réalité, c’est l’inverse qui est vrai : le « future simple » en anglais se rapproche davantage, dans sa signification et son utilisation, du futur proche en français (utilisant « going to » et « aller »), tandis que le futur simple en français se rapproche davantage de l’usage de « will » dans les temps futurs en anglais.
Nous examinerons également comment le présent peut être employé en anglais pour exprimer des actions futures, similaire en partie à l’usage du présent en français informel pour exprimer des actions futures immédiates.
De quelle catégorie dois-je utiliser ?
| Future Simple – “Will” | ||
| Meaning | A prediction for the future that is not evidence based, spontaneous or impromptu decisions made at time of speaking, decision to do a voluntary action. | |
| Positive form | Subject + will + verb (infinitive) | I will practice guitar tonight |
| Negative | Subject + will + not +verb (infinitive) | I will not practice guitar tonight |
| Question | Will + subject + verb (infinitive) | Will you play guitar tonight? Future |
| Equivalent français : future proche – Je vais pratiquer de la guitare ce soir. | ||
| Future Simple – “going to” | ||
| Meaning | Future predictions that are evidence based, plans or decisions made before the time of speaking | |
| Positive form | Subject + am/is/are + going to + verb (infinitive) | I am going to practice guitar tonight. |
| Negative | Subject + am/is/are + not + going to + verb (infinitive) | I am not going to practice guitar tonight. |
| Question | Am/is/are + subject + going to + verb (infinitive) | Are you going to practice guitar tonight? |
| Equivalent français : Future proche – je vais pratiquer de la guitare ce soir. | ||
| Future continuous – “Will” and “going to” | ||
| **“will” and “going to” can be used interchangeably in future continuous tense. | ||
| Meaning and forms | A continuous action that will occur at a specific time in the future. | I will be practicing guitar tonight at 7 pm / I am going to be practicing guitar tonight at 7 pm. |
| Continuous actions in the future that are interrupted – used with present simple. | I will be practicing guitar when they are having dinner. | |
| Parallel continuous actions | They will be having dinner while I will be practicing guitar. | |
| Equivalent français : utiliser futur proche ou future simple. | ||
| Future perfect | |
| Meaning | Events that will be completed and finished by a certain point in time. |
| I will have finished practicing guitar by 9pm. | |
| Equivalent français : utiliser future simple. | |
| Future Perfect Continuous | ||
| Meaning | Actions that will be in progress up to a point in the future | |
| Positive form | Subject + will + have + been + verb (ing)
Subject + am/is/are + going to + have + been + verb (ing) |
In September, I will have been living in Spain for 6 months.
In September, I am going to have been living in Spain for 6 months. |
| Negative | Subject + will + not + have + been + verb (ing)
Subject + am/is/are + not + going to + have + been + verb (ing) |
In September, I will not have been living in Spain for 6 months.
In September, I am not going to have been living in Spain for 6 months. |
| Question | Will + subject + have + been + verb (ing)
Am/is/are + subject + going to + have + been + verb (ing) |
In September, will you have been living in Spain for 6 months?
In September, are you going to have been living in Spain for 6 months? |
| Equivalent français : utiliser future simple. | ||
** This tense is rarely used and is quite specific, negative and question forms hardly ever used.
Use of the present tense to speak about the future:
Using the present simple for scheduled future events:
- The class starts at 6pm tomorrow.
The present continuous can also be used here:
- I’m having dinner with Liam tonight at 7.
Similar can be seen in the French language in more informal tones when we say for example « tu finis a quelle heure ce soir? »
