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The Future Simple. Part III The Verbs of the Third Group (Lesson 1): Verbs of the 3rd group that form the future tense from the infinitive

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The verbs of the third group are irregular verbs. Most of the verbs of the third group have the same endings when conjugated into the future simple. There are however some verbs that change completely when conjugated into the future simple. Let's start with the verbs that use the infinitive to form the future simple. It concerns most of the verbs that end in "ir”, “re”, “aître”, or “uire”.

Let’s take three verbs with different endings and conjugate them into the future simple:

dormir

Je dormirai
Tu dormiras
Il /elle/ on dormira
Nous dormirons
Vous dormirez
Ils/elles dormiront



prendre

Je prendrai
Tu prendras
Il /elle/ on prendra
Nous prendrons
Vous prendrez
Ils/elles prendront



conduire

Je conduirai
Tu conduiras
Il /elle/ on conduira
Nous conduirons
Vous conduirez
Ils/elles conduiront


We notice that even though the verbs “dormir” , “prendre”, and “conduire” have different radicals in their infinitive form, they have the same one when conjugated in the future simple.

For example:

Nous dormirons par terre s’il le faut.
We will sleep on the floor if we have to.

L’année prochaine, je prendrai mes vacances en août.
Next year, I’ll take my vacation in August.

Ce nouveau directeur conduira notre société à la faillite.
This new manager will lead our company to bankruptcy.

Interrogative form:

The verbs of the 3rd group in the future follow the same rule when put in the interrogative form as the verbs of the first group and second group.

For example:

Est-ce qu’ils inscriront leurs enfants dans une école privée?
Will they register their children in a private school?

Si vous gagnez aux élections, interdirez-vous les rassemblements publics?
If you win the elections, will you ban public gatherings?

Tu mettras ta maison en vente cet été?
Will you put your house on the market this summer?

Negative form:

The verbs of the 3rd group in the future follow the same rule of negation as the verbs of the first group and second group.

For example:

Je ne permettrai pas à cet homme de me crier dessus.
I won’t allow this man to yell at me.

Ils ne poursuivront pas en justice le chirurgien.
They won’t sue the surgeon.

Quelques exceptions:


The verbs "mourir", "courir" and "acquérir" take a double "r" when conjugated in the future.

For example:

Il courra le marathon quand il sera prêt.
He will run the marathon when he is ready.

Elle mourra de chagrin s'il la quitte.
She will die of sorrow if he leaves her.

Nous acquerrons cette maison si notre banque accepte de nous faire un prêt.
We will buy this house if our bank agrees to lend us some money.

The verb "venir" and all the verbs with this root (advenir, survenir, convenir, revenir, prévenir, souvenir).

venir

Je viendrai
Tu viendras
Il /elle/ on viendra
Nous viendrons
Vous viendrez
Ils/elles viendront


The verb "cueillir" and the verbs with this root (accueillir, recueillir)

cueillir

Je cueillerai
Tu cueilleras
Il /elle/ on cueillera
Nous cueillerons
Vous cueillerez
Ils/elles cueilleront


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