français · B1 · grammar · 4 minutes
Future after quand
Use future tense on both sides when a future time clause begins with quand, lorsque, or dès que.
Understand the choice
A time connector does not make the event hypothetical. Both arrival and dinner belong to the future timeline, so each verb receives future morphology. Si follows a different rule and rejects future in its condition clause.
Core rule: In a future context, French normally uses future tense after quand, lorsque, dès que, and aussitôt que, unlike English present tense.
Notice it in context
Quand tu arriveras, nous dînerons ensemble.
When you arrive, we will have dinner together.
Arriveras marks the future time condition; dînerons marks the later main action.
Dès qu’elle aura la réponse, elle nous appellera.
As soon as she has the answer, she will call us.
Both aura and appellera are future forms.
Lorsque vous finirez, éteignez la lumière.
When you finish, turn off the light.
The future time clause can be followed by an imperative main clause.
What to remember
- Quand can also introduce habitual present or past contexts; the timeline controls the tense.
- The future anterior can mark an action completed before another future action at higher levels.
Common trap: Do not copy English present into a clearly future quand clause: quand tu arriveras, not quand tu arrives.