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The compound tenses: the futur antérieur
B2
Catalogue
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The futur antérieur and the compound tenses built like it (j'aurai fini, elle sera partie, tu aurais eu, aie fait), its use after quand, dès que and une fois que, and the choice between the futur simple and the futur antérieur for two future events.
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1. Compound tenses: aurai fini, aurais fini, aie fini
Each compound tense is formed with the auxiliary avoir or être, followed by the past participle.
- Ils seront déjà rentrés demain.They will already have come back by tomorrow.
Formation
- The futur antérieur (future perfect) is formed with the futur simple (will) of the auxiliary: j'aurai fini.
- In j'aurais fini, the auxiliary is in the conditionnel (would), and in que j'aie fini, it is in the subjunctive.
| Tense | The auxiliary is in the | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| futur antérieur | futur simple | j'aurai fini, il sera parti, elle sera partie, nous nous serons levés |
| conditionnel passé | conditionnel présent | tu aurais eu, vous seriez allés, ils auraient pris, j'aurais aimé |
| subjonctif passé | subjonctif présent | aie fait, il soit venu, elle soit venue, tu sois venu |
Avoir or être
- The auxiliary is the same as in the passé composé (past simple): avoir for most verbs.
- Être is used with pronominal verbs and a small group of verbs such as aller, venir, partir, arriver and rester.
- The participle agrees as in the passé composé, so with être it agrees with the subject: elle sera partie.
Use
- The futur antérieur is used for what will already be done: nous aurons dîné, elle aura déjà fini.
- The form j'aurais fini is used for what would have happened.
- The subjonctif passé is used after the same expressions as the subjunctive, for an action that is already over.
Common mistake
Elle aura parti à huit heures.→ Elle sera partie à huit heures.“Will have left” is not aura parti: partir takes être in every compound tense, as in the passé composé.
Show the answer finir · futur antérieur · je aurai finiShow the answer
Show the answer partir · futur antérieur · il/elle sera partiShow the answer
2. The futur antérieur: quand, dès que, une fois que
After quand, dès que and une fois que, the earlier future action is in the futur antérieur (future perfect).
- Quand elle aura lu le message, elle répondra.When she has read the message, she will reply.
Formation
- The earlier future action is in the futur antérieur: dès que nous serons arrivés, une fois que j'aurai lu.
- The main verb is in the futur simple (will).
- With lire, manger and faire, the forms are tu auras lu, tu auras mangé and tu auras fait.
Negative and pronominal verbs
- In the negative, ne … pas is placed around the auxiliary: il n'aura pas encore fini.
- A pronominal verb is conjugated with être, and its participle agrees with the subject: ils se seront couchés.
Use
- In a main clause, the futur antérieur is often used with déjà: elle aura déjà fini, ils seront déjà arrivés.
- In a main clause, the futur antérieur is also used without déjà: nous aurons pris.
Careful and everyday use
- After dès que and une fois que, the futur antérieur is the careful form.
- In everyday speech, the passé composé (past simple) is also used after dès que and une fois que.
- Everyday forms with avoir are une fois que tu as lu and une fois que tu as mangé.
- An everyday form with être is une fois que nous sommes arrivés.
Difference from English
- After “when” and “once”, the present perfect or present is used in English: “when you have finished”, “once I arrive”.
- In French, the future is marked in both clauses: quand tu auras fini, une fois que je serai arrivé.
Show the answer Quand tu arriveras, j'___ (déjà / finir) mon travail. aurai déjà finiShow the answer
Show the answer Quand Marie arrivera, nous ___ (déjà / manger). aurons déjà mangéShow the answer
3. Futur simple or futur antérieur?
Of two future actions, the earlier is in the futur antérieur (future perfect), the later in the futur simple (will).
- Quand j'aurai rangé la cuisine, nous sortirons.When I have tidied the kitchen, we will go out.
Formation
- The futur antérieur is formed with the futur simple of avoir or être and the past participle.
- With avoir, the forms include tu auras fini, elle aura écrit, il aura déjà mangé and elle aura déjà lu.
- With être, the forms include elle sera déjà rentrée.
- In a main clause, the forms are the same: j'aurai fini, elle sera sortie, tu auras mangé.
Same time
- When the two actions happen at the same time, both verbs are in the futur simple.
- After quand too, the futur simple is used for a simultaneous action: tu seras, elle sera, vous serez.
| Order of the actions | Clause with quand, dès que | Main clause |
|---|---|---|
| one after the other | futur antérieur: quand elle aura payé | futur simple: nous partirons |
| at the same time | futur simple: quand il fera beau | futur simple: nous irons à la plage |
Use
- The futur antérieur is used after quand, dès que, une fois que and après que.
- In a main clause, the futur antérieur is used with déjà or a time limit: d'ici demain, à midi.
- With a time limit, the futur antérieur is used for what will be done by then.
- The action that follows the earlier one is in the futur simple: nous partirons.
Difference from English
- In English, a future action after “when”, “as soon as” and “once” is in the present or present perfect.
- The present perfect is used in English for the earlier action: “when you have finished”.
- The present is used in English for an action at the same time: “when you are free”.
Common mistakes
Appelle-moi quand tu finis.→ Appelle-moi quand tu auras fini.Finis is the présent (present simple), but the earlier future action is in the futur antérieur.Je t'appellerai quand tu es libre.→ Je t'appellerai quand tu seras libre.After quand, a future action at the same time as the main verb is in the futur simple.
Remember
- Use the futur antérieur for the earlier future action: quand tu auras fini.
- Use the futur simple for a future action at the same time: quand tu seras libre.
Show the answer Je finis. · futur antérieur J'aurai fini.Show the answer
Show the answer Elle sort. · futur antérieur Elle sera sortie.Show the answer
4. The futur antérieur: mixed practice
The three compound tenses are practised together, with the futur antérieur (future perfect) and the futur simple (will) after quand.
- Dès que vous serez rentrés, nous dînerons.As soon as you have got home, we will have dinner.
- Sans ce retard, je serais arrivé à l'heure.Without this delay, I would have arrived on time.
- Je doute qu'elle soit déjà partie.I doubt that she has left already.
Formation
- The futur antérieur forms are serez partis and aurons mangé.
- Forms with the auxiliary in the conditionnel (would) are serais allé, serait rentré and aurions mangé.
- Forms with the auxiliary in the subjunctive are soit parti and soyez arrivés.
Use
- After quand, dès que and une fois que, the earlier of two future actions is in the futur antérieur.
- For the earlier action, the forms include aura déjà commencé, auras mangé and aura écrit.
- A future action at the same time is in the futur simple: sera.
Show the answer partir · futur antérieur · vous serez partisShow the answer
Show the answer aller · conditionnel passé · tu serais alléShow the answer
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