The future perfect tense is used to describe actions that will have happened in the future. “When you arrive I’ll have already finished preparing the meal.” For verbs conjugated avoir in the passé composé, it’s formed with avoir conjugated in the future + the past participle. For etre verbs conjugate etre in the future + past particle.
Futur antérieur conjugation
| PARLER TO SPEAK -> WILL HAVE SPOKEN | |
| j'aurai parlé tu auras parlé il aura parlé | nous aurons parlé vous aurez parlé ils auront parlé |
| ALLER TO GO -> WOULD HAVE GONE | |
| je serai allé(e) tu seras allé(e) il/elle sera allé(e) | nous serons allé(e)s vous serez allé(e)(s) ils/elles seront allé(e)s |
| SE LEVER -> WILL HAVE GOTTEN UP | |
| je me serai levé(e) tu te seras levé(e) il/elle se sera levé(e) | nous nous serons levé(e)s vous vous serez levé(e)(s) ils/elles se seront levé(e)s |
Example sentences
The future perfect can be used in strait “will have happened” sentences as well as form anteriority – Action A will have happened before action B.
Straight ‘will have’ sentences
- J’aurai appris tous ces verbes avant la fin de l’année.
I will have learned all these verbs before the end of the year. - Tu aura déjà trouvé un nouveau boulot avant juillet.
You will have already found a new job before July. - Nous aurions acheté une nouvelle maison avant 2022.
We will have bought a new house before 2022.
Anteriority usage: When action A occurs, action B will have already occurred
- Quand tu arriveras à la maison, j’aurai déjà fini mon repas.
When you get home, I’ll already have finished my meal. - Quand elle partira, je serai déjà parti.
When she leaves, I’ll ready have left. - Dès que tu accepteras ma décision, nous en parlerons.
Once you accept my decision, we’ll talk about it.
Probability: Action A should have happened
- Il aura encore oublé le rendez-vous!
He must have forgotten the meeting again! - Elle aura encore brûlé le gateau!
She must have burnt the cake again! - Ils auront encore raté l’examen!
They must have failed the exam again!
Whether, I wonder if + completed action
- Je me demande si elle sera venue.
I wonder if she came. - Je voudrais savoir s’ils auront fini les devoirs.
I’d like to know if they finished the homework. - Je me demand s’il se sera rendu compte de sa faute.
I wonder if he realized his mistake.
Related lessons:
More resources:
- laits.utexas.edu (includes exercise)
- tolearnfrench.com (also includes exercise)
Bonjour! My name is David Issokson. I'm based in Victor, Idaho and have helped hundreds of students to learn French via Skype or Zoom since 2014. 
