Si Clauses - Present + Future

This structure is like a simple contract. There are two distinct parts to every sentence. First, you set a condition with si. Second, you state the result of that condition. The condition must be something that is possible. It is not a wild dream or a fantasy. It is a logical outcome based on reality. If the condition is met, the result happens. It works just like a grammar traffic light. Green light: the condition is met. Move forward: the result takes place. This pattern is incredibly common in daily speech. You will hear it in shops and offices. It helps you talk about the immediate future.

1. 1Building these sentences follows a strict, two-step recipe. You must follow the tenses exactly.
2. 2Start with the si clause.
3. 3Use the present tense for the si part.
4. 4Put the result clause in the future tense.
5. 5You can use the futur simple or futur proche.
6. 6Example: Si tu manges (present), tu n'auras pas faim (future).
7. 7Think of the si part as the trigger. The trigger stays in the simple present tense. The outcome happens later, so it uses the future. You can also flip the sentence order. The result can come before the condition. Je t'appellerai si je suis en retard. Both ways are perfectly correct and natural.

Use this pattern for everyday real-world scenarios.

• Making plans: Si il fait beau, nous irons à la plage.
• Promises: Si tu m'aides, je t'achèterai un café.
• Warnings: Si tu ne dors pas, tu seras fatigué.
• Negotiations: Si vous baissez le prix, j'achèterai l'article.

Imagine you are at a job interview. You might say: Si je rejoins l'équipe, j'apporterai mon expertise. This shows confidence and clear thinking. Or imagine ordering food in Lyon. You might tell your friend: Si tu prends le dessert, je le partagerai. It is practical and social grammar at its best.

Do not use this for impossible things. If you are dreaming about winning the lottery, stop. That requires a different set of tenses (the conditional). Also, never use it for things that already happened. If the chance is gone, this rule is gone. This pattern is strictly for "likely" future events. If the situation is highly unlikely, use si + imperfect.

Native English speakers often make one big mistake. They want to put the future after si. In English, we say "If I am..." not "If I will be." French is exactly the same but stricter. Never use the future tense immediately after si.

• Wrong: Si j'aurai le temps...
• Right: Si j'ai le temps...

French teachers have a famous saying for this. "Les 'si' n'aiment pas les 'rai'." The endings of future verbs often have -rai. The si clause hates those endings. Keep the future in the second part only. Another mistake is forgetting the comma. If si starts the sentence, use a comma. If si is in the middle, no comma is needed.

Compare this to the second conditional. The second conditional uses si + imperfect. That is for dreams or unlikely hypotheticals.

• Likely: Si je gagne, je serai content. (I might win).
• Unlikely: Si je gagnais, je serais content. (I probably won't win).

You should also distinguish si from quand. Quand means the event will definitely happen. Si implies there is a real choice or chance.

• Quand il pleuvra, je resterai ici. (It will rain eventually).
• Si il pleut, je resterai ici. (It might rain today).