Look at these sentences:
Je prends mon train dans une heure.
I'm taking my train in an hour.
As well as current and habitual actions, and timeless facts, Le Présent can be used to express an action in the immediate future.
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Micro kwiz: Using Le Présent for immediate/near future actions
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Ron
Kwiziq community member
31/05/17
Bonsoir Brian,
C'est drôle ! I had a very similar question in one of my French classes a few years back and the prof explained it thusly, to use J'arrive as a future statement she considered that to be sometime within the next 24 hours. She further explained the near future statement using aller, i.e. Je vais venir, to be a time frame of 3 to 5 days out. Anything longer than 5 days out she considered as needing the future tense. I am unsure where she had come up with this "time frames", but on a certain level, it kinda makes sense.
J'espère que cela vous aiderez.
Bonne chance,
Ron
C'est drôle ! I had a very similar question in one of my French classes a few years back and the prof explained it thusly, to use J'arrive as a future statement she considered that to be sometime within the next 24 hours. She further explained the near future statement using aller, i.e. Je vais venir, to be a time frame of 3 to 5 days out. Anything longer than 5 days out she considered as needing the future tense. I am unsure where she had come up with this "time frames", but on a certain level, it kinda makes sense.
J'espère que cela vous aiderez.
Bonne chance,
Ron
Cameron
Kwiziq community member
23 May 2017
1 reply
Present or past?
This lesson is titled Using Le Passé Composé for immediate/near future actions but it is really on using the present tense to speak of near future actions, not Le Passé Composé. Or am I missing something?
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
23/05/17
Bonjour Cameron !
That's a mistake on our part: it was indeed Le Présent !
Thanks to you this title has now been fixed !
Merci beaucoup!
That's a mistake on our part: it was indeed Le Présent !
Thanks to you this title has now been fixed !
Merci beaucoup!
Laura
Kwiziq language super star
14/07/16
Bonjour Chris,
Yes, but this lesson is specifically about using the present tense for future actions, which occurs in both French and English.
Yes, but this lesson is specifically about using the present tense for future actions, which occurs in both French and English.
Daniel
Kwiziq community member
22 June 2017
1 reply
Curieux?
Quel est le difference entre Nous sommes partir dans dix minutes et Nous partons dans dix minutes? Partir étant un verbe de mouvement conjugué à être?
Ron
Kwiziq community member
24 June 2017
24/06/17
If I am correctly understanding your question, nous sommes partir is not a phrase in French. nous sommes partis is however. To that end, partir est une verbe de mouvement qui est conjugué avec être. However, the lesson that you have referenced is addressing the use of the present tense to explain an immediate, near future action and does not relate to verbs possibly in the passé composé with or sans être.
For example, if I see you in the hallway by a classroom, I might say «j'arrive» meaning I will be coming to the class very shortly. Again «arriver» est une verbe de mouvement qui utilise être tel l'auxiliare.
J'espère que cela vous aidera.
Bonne chance !