The future perfect (futur antérieur)

The future perfect (futur antérieur)

The future before the future: Quand j’aurai fini, je sortirai.

⚡Key points

future of avoir/être + participle→j’aurai fini, je serai parti
An action BEFORE another future one→Quand j’aurai fini, je sortirai.
After quand, dès que, après que→+ futur antérieur
Assumption about the past→Il aura oublié. (he must have forgotten)

Formation and meaning

The future perfect = the future simple of the auxiliary (avoir / être) + the past participle. It marks an action completed by a point in the future or before another future action.

finir (avoir) / partir (être)

je
aurai fini / serai parti(e)
I will have finished / left
tu
auras fini / seras parti(e)
you will have finished / left
il / elle
aura fini / sera parti(e)
he/she will have finished / left
nous
aurons fini / serons parti(e)s
we will have finished / left
vous
aurez fini / serez parti(e)s
you will have finished / left
ils / elles
auront fini / seront parti(e)s
they will have finished / left

Two uses

First: anteriority in the future, especially after quand, lorsque, dès que, après que, une fois que. Second: an assumption about a completed past action (“must have…”).

Uses

1

Anteriority in the future

Quand j’aurai fini mes devoirs, je sortirai. (When I have finished my homework, I’ll go out.)

2

After dès que

Dès qu’il sera arrivé, on mangera. (As soon as he has arrived, we’ll eat.)

3

Assumption about the past

Il n’est pas là ; il aura oublié. (He’s not here; he must have forgotten.)

💡⚠️ future perfect + future simple

In a complex sentence, the action that happens first is in the future perfect, and the later one in the future simple: Quand tu auras lu (1) le livre, tu me le rendras (2).
Une fois que tu seras parti, je rangerai.
Elle aura terminé avant midi.

Dialogue: evening plans

MayaOn se voit à quelle heure ?
TomDès que j’aurai terminé le travail, je t’appelle.
MayaTu auras fini vers dix-huit heures ?
TomSûrement. Et toi, tu seras rentrée chez toi ?

Maya: What time shall we meet? | Tom: As soon as I’ve finished work, I’ll call you. | Maya: Will you have finished around six? | Tom: Surely. And you, will you be back home by then?