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Lesson 2 of 5Le temps: Future Perfect, Past Infinitive and the Passé Simple
Unit 1 · Lesson 2 of 5

Quand, dès que, aussitôt que: the Future after Time Conjunctions

Why French puts a future tense after quand, dès que and aussitôt que where English uses a present, when the earlier action needs the futur antérieur, what the main clause can be, and where the rule stops: si meaning if, habits, and questions.

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Key things to remember

  1. 1After quand, lorsque, dès que, aussitôt que, une fois que, après que, pendant que, tant que about the future, French uses a future tense where English uses a present.
  2. 2Use the futur antérieur for the action that will be finished first: Quand j'aurai fini, je partirai (English: when I have finished).
  3. 3The main clause is usually the futur simple or the impératif: Quand tu auras lu l'article, rends-le-moi.
  4. 4Si meaning if, with a result in the future, takes the présent, never the futur: Si tu finis tôt, on ira au cinéma. (Si meaning whether can take the futur.)
  5. 5For habits, quand takes the présent (and the passé composé for the earlier action): Quand il neige, je prends l'autobus.

English has a habit that French does not share. Talking about tomorrow, English says When I get to Halifax, I'll call you and As soon as I have finished, I'll leave. The verbs after when and as soon as look like a present and a present perfect, even though both events are in the future. French follows the time, not the habit: if the event is in the future, the verb is in a future tense. Quand j'arriverai à Halifax, je t'appellerai. Dès que j'aurai fini, je partirai. You met the first half of this in Grade 10 with quand + futur. Grade 12 completes the picture: the full set of time conjunctions, the futur antérieur for an action that must be finished first, the choice of verb in the main clause, and the three places where the rule does not apply. Get this right and your writing stops sounding translated.

ConjunctionMeaningExample about the futureEnglish
quandwhenQuand tu arriveras à la gare, appelle-moi.When you get to the station, call me.
lorsquewhen (more formal)Lorsque le comité aura étudié votre demande, il vous répondra par écrit.When the committee has examined your application, it will reply in writing.
dès queas soon asDès que les résultats seront publiés, je te les enverrai.As soon as the results are published, I'll send them to you.
aussitôt queas soon asJe visiterai le musée aussitôt que je serai arrivé à Saint-Martin.I'll visit the museum as soon as I have arrived in Saint-Martin.
une fois queonceUne fois que tu auras lu les consignes, tu pourras commencer.Once you have read the instructions, you can start.
après queafterAprès que tout le monde sera parti, nous rangerons la salle.After everyone has left, we will tidy the room.
pendant quewhilePendant que tu seras à l'épicerie, je préparerai la salade.While you are at the grocery store, I'll make the salad.
tant queas long asTant qu'il fera beau, nous camperons au bord du lac.As long as the weather is nice, we'll camp by the lake.
In every English translation the verb after the conjunction is a present or a present perfect; in every French sentence it is a futur or a futur antérieur. Après que takes the indicatif in standard French, even though you will hear the subjonctif after it in speech.
After quand and dès que: follow the time, not the EnglishEnglish, about the futureFrenchWhen I arrive, I'll call you.English: presentQuand j'arriverai, je t'appellerai.French: futur simpleAs soon as I have finished, I'll leave.English: present perfectDès que j'aurai fini, je partirai.French: futur antérieur (finished first)When you have read it, give it back.English: present perfect + commandQuand tu l'auras lu, rends-le-moi.French: futur antérieur + impératifIf I have time, I'll come.English: presentSi j'ai le temps, je viendrai.si = if: the présent staysthe exceptionA habit, not one future event? Use the présent: Quand il neige, je prends l'autobus.
Fig 1English verb forms after when and as soon as mapped to French: present to futur simple, present perfect to futur antérieur, the si clause where the présent stays, and the présent for a habit.
Same time or earlier? Futur or futur antérieur
If the two future actions overlap or happen at the same moment, use the futur in both clauses: Quand je serai à Montréal, je visiterai le Vieux-Port (I'll visit it while I am there). If the action after the conjunction has to be finished first, use the futur antérieur: Quand j'aurai fini mes études secondaires, je pourrai m'inscrire à l'université. With une fois que and après que the meaning is completion, so the futur antérieur is the normal choice. With quand, dès que and aussitôt que, a quick action is often left in the futur simple when the order is obvious (Dès que tu arriveras, appelle-moi); the futur antérieur stresses that it is over (Dès que tu seras arrivé, appelle-moi). Both are correct.

What goes in the main clause

  • Futur simple, the usual choice: Dès que j'aurai mon permis, je conduirai ma sœur à l'école. (As soon as I have my licence, I'll drive my sister to school.)
  • Impératif for an instruction or request: Quand tu auras lu l'article, rends-le-moi. (When you have read the article, give it back to me.)
  • Futur proche in conversation: Quand tu vas arriver, on va manger. (When you get here, we'll eat.) This is very common in everyday speech, especially in Québec, with the futur proche in both clauses.
  • In very casual speech you may even hear the présent in both clauses (Dès que t'arrives, on mange). In writing, keep a future tense after the conjunction.

Where the rule stops

AOne future event: futur after quand
  • Quand il neigera demain, je prendrai l'autobus. (When it snows tomorrow, I'll take the bus.)
  • Quand j'aurai fini mes devoirs ce soir, je regarderai un film. (When I've finished my homework tonight, I'll watch a film.)
BA habit or general truth: présent after quand
  • Quand il neige, je prends l'autobus. (Whenever it snows, I take the bus.)
  • Quand j'ai fini mes devoirs, je regarde un film. (When I've finished my homework, I watch a film: a routine.)
Time frameEarlier actionLater actionExample
Future (one occasion)futur antérieurfutur simpleQuand j'aurai fini, je sortirai. (When I have finished, I'll go out.)
Present habitpassé composéprésentQuand j'ai fini, je sors. (When I have finished, I go out.)
Past habitplus-que-parfaitimparfaitQuand j'avais fini, je sortais. (When I had finished, I would go out.)
The same logic in three time frames: the earlier action takes the compound tense whose auxiliary matches the tense of the later action (aurai with sortirai, ai with sors, avais with sortais).
Si meaning if does not follow the rule
When si means if and the result is in the future, it takes the présent, never the futur or the conditionnel (for an unlikely or imagined condition it takes the imparfait or the plus-que-parfait, si j'avais su, but still never the futur or the conditionnel): Si tu finis tôt, on ira au cinéma (If you finish early, we'll go to the movies), not si tu finiras. Two scoped exceptions: when si means whether in an indirect question, any tense can follow (Je me demande s'il viendra, I wonder whether he will come), and quand used as a question word takes whatever tense the meaning needs (Je ne sais pas quand elle partira, I don't know when she will leave). So a sentence can contain both kinds: Si j'ai le temps, je t'appellerai quand je serai arrivée.
In context: a travel email
Chère tante Josée, je pars samedi! Dès que je serai arrivé à Saint-Martin, je t'enverrai un texto. Le musée dont tu m'as parlé, je le visiterai aussitôt que j'aurai déposé mes valises à l'hôtel. Pendant que mes parents se reposeront, j'irai explorer le marché de Marigot. Quand il fera trop chaud, je me baignerai. Et si j'ai le temps, je t'achèterai un souvenir. Une fois que je serai rentré, je te montrerai toutes mes photos. Je t'embrasse, Thomas

Translation: Dear Aunt Josée, I'm leaving on Saturday! As soon as I arrive in Saint-Martin, I'll send you a text. The museum you told me about, I'll visit it as soon as I've dropped my bags off at the hotel. While my parents rest, I'll go and explore the market in Marigot. When it's too hot, I'll go swimming. And if I have time, I'll buy you a souvenir. Once I'm home, I'll show you all my photos. Love, Thomas. Count the English presents (arrive, rest, is, have, 'm) and present perfects ('ve dropped): each one is a future tense in French, except after si, where ai stays in the présent. Serai arrivé and serai rentré are futurs antérieurs of être verbs; aurai déposé takes avoir. Texto is an everyday word for a text message.

Worked examples

Reveal one step at a time and try to beat it to the next line.

Example 1
Translate: As soon as I have arrived in Saint-Martin, I will visit the museum.
Example 2
Translate, using tu: When you have read the article, give it back to me.
Example 3
Translate: If it rains tomorrow, we will stay home, but as soon as the rain has stopped, we will go out.
Example 4
Correct the two errors: Quand je finis mes études, je voyagerai en Afrique si j'aurai assez d'argent.

Where marks get lost

  • Copying the English present after when: Quand j'arrive à Ottawa demain, je t'appellerai. Write Quand j'arriverai à Ottawa demain…
  • Copying the English present perfect: Dès que j'ai fini, je partirai. The finished future action needs the futur antérieur: Dès que j'aurai fini, je partirai.
  • Carrying the rule over to si: Si j'aurai le temps, je viendrai. After si meaning if, use the présent: Si j'ai le temps, je viendrai.
  • Writing the conditionnel instead of the futur: Quand j'aurais fini… (would have). For a real future plan, quand j'aurai fini has no s.
  • Using the futur for a habit: Quand il neigera, je prends l'autobus. For a routine, both verbs are in the présent: Quand il neige, je prends l'autobus.

Flashcards 8

When I get to Halifax (tomorrow), I'll call you.
As soon as I have finished, I'll leave.
aussitôt que / dès que
une fois que
+ 4 more

Practice

1
Choose the correct French for When you are in Québec City next summer, you will see the Château Frontenac.
2
Complete with the futur antérieur of terminer: Dès que nous ___ le projet, nous le publierons en ligne.
3
Complete with the futur antérieur of partir: Après que les invités ___, nous ferons la vaisselle.
4
Complete with the correct form of avoir (subject tu): Si tu ___ des questions, écris-moi.
5
Which sentence describes a habit and is correct?
6
Which sentence correctly uses a future tense after si?
7
Match each English verb form after when (about tomorrow) with the French tense you need.
when I arrive
when I have arrived
if I arrive
whenever I arrive (habit)
8
Translate using tu and an imperative: Once you have finished, call me. (Use une fois que and finir.)
9
Put these events in the order they will happen: Dès que j'aurai reçu ma lettre d'admission, je chercherai un appartement, et une fois que j'en aurai trouvé un, je déménagerai à Ottawa.
  1. 1I look for an apartment
  2. 2I move to Ottawa
  3. 3I find an apartment
  4. 4I receive my admission letter

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