B1 · The future
After quand comes the future
One of your two habits is right here, and they look identical.
If the main clause is in the future, the clause with quand is too: je t'appellerai quand j'arriverai — literally «I will call you when I will arrive».
English says «when I arrive», with the present, and so does German, and so does almost everybody. Carry it across and you write quand j'arrive, which means «whenever I arrive».
The same holds for lorsque, dès que, aussitôt que, tant que and une fois que. All five want a future when a future is meant.
After si it does *not* hold. Si j'ai le temps, je viendrai — present in the si clause. So English «when I arrive» and «if I have time» look identical, both in the present, and French treats them oppositely. Learning the two side by side is the only way the difference sticks.
Die Form
| when I arrive | quand j’arriverai |
| as soon as you are ready | dès que tu seras prêt |
| as long as the weather holds | tant qu’il fera beau |
| if I have time | si j’ai le temps |
| when I have finished | quand j’aurai fini |
| once you have seen it | une fois que tu auras vu |
Die Regeln im Einzelnen
After quand comes the future.
Je t’appellerai quand j’arriverai.I will call you when I arrive.
dès que and tant que do the same.
On partira dès que tu seras prêt.We will leave as soon as you are ready.
After si comes the present.
Si j’ai le temps, je passerai.If I have time, I will drop by.
For the earlier of two, the futur antérieur.
Quand j’aurai fini, je t’enverrai le texte.When I have finished, I will send you the text.
Woran man es erkennt
- quand
- dès que
- tant que
- une fois que
- si
Beispielsätze
Je te dirai tout quand on se verra.I will tell you everything when we see each other.
Dès qu’il arrivera, nous commencerons.As soon as he arrives, we will start.
Si tu veux, on peut y aller ensemble.If you want, we can go together.
Tant qu’il y aura du soleil, on restera dehors.As long as there is sunshine, we will stay outside.
Die typisch deutsche Falle
Aufgepasst
After si the future never appears. Si je viendrai does not exist; it is si je viens. In English both clauses look the same — «when I come» and «if I come» — so there is nothing at all to warn you that one of them changes and the other must not.
quand takes the future, si never does.
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