Here is a sentence in English using when, where the actions all take place in the future:
Notice how the verb after when in these sentences is in the Present tense.
Now look at these sentences using quand in a future context:
Quand je serai vieux, je serai riche.
When I am old, I will be rich.
Quand elle aura des enfants, elle changera d'avis.
When she has children, she will change her mind.
Quand Thomas sera à l'université, nous déménagerons.
When Thomas is at university, we will move out.
Quand tu viendras, tu verras la nouvelle cuisine.
When you come, you will see the new kitchen.
Notice how in French you use the Le Futur in both parts of the sentence, including after quand, whereas in English you use the Present tense after when.
This rule also applies to the expression pendant que (while) when used in a future context:
Tu feras tes devoirs pendant que je ferai la vaisselle.
You'll do your homework while I do the dishes.
Mathieu viendra te voir pendant que je serai chez le docteur.
Mathieu will come and see you while I am at the doctor's.
Pendant que nous finirons de manger, il vous montrera ses tableaux.
While we finish eating, he will show you his paintings.
Also see advanced lesson Quand, lorsque, après que, une fois que + Le Futur Antérieur = 'when, after I've done in the future
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Mathieu viendra te voir pendant que je serai chez le docteur.
Mathieu will come and see you while I am at the doctor's.
Quand je serai vieux, je serai riche.
When I am old, I will be rich.
Tu feras tes devoirs pendant que je ferai la vaisselle.
You'll do your homework while I do the dishes.
Quand tu viendras, tu verras la nouvelle cuisine.
When you come, you will see the new kitchen.
Tu feras tes devoirs pendant que je ferai la vaisselle.
You'll do your homework while I'm doing the dishes.
Quand Thomas sera à l'université, nous déménagerons.
When Thomas is at university, we will move out.
Tu feras tes devoirs pendant que je ferai la vaisselle.
You'll do your homework while I'm doing the dishes.
Quand elle aura des enfants, elle changera d'avis.
When she has children, she will change her mind.
Pendant que nous finirons de manger, il vous montrera ses tableaux.
While we finish eating, he will show you his paintings.
Quand vous viendrez, vous verrez les décorations d'Halloween.
When you come, you'll see the Halloween decorations.
Q&A
Chris
Kwiziq community member
1/03/19
Not if vous is used as a formal "you" (2nd person singular).
carole
Kwiziq community member
1/03/19
Ooops -- totally forgot that aspect of vous. Thanks for reminding me!
Tom
Kwiziq community member
14/12/18
Hi Marnie,
Since has remained unanswered for over a week I'll have a go at explaining the difference.
Although they both nominally mean 'While', 'pendant que' is more of a temporal conjunction indicating that indicates the time frame of an action during which something else happens.
Pendant que j'étais en France j'ai visité la tour Eiffel. - While I was in France I visited the Eiffel Tower.
Tandis que signifies a contrast and can often be translated as whereas.
Paul est un travailleur acharné tandis que son frère est un bon à rien. - Paul is a hardworking man while (whereas) his brother is a wastrel.
Hope this helps,
Tom
Marnie
Kwiziq community member
14/12/18
Salut Tom! That makes sense...and resound in my echo-chamber of previously known & spoken French!
Merci!
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
29/10/18
Hi katie,
I think Aurélie has already answered this question if you scroll down ...
Katie
Kwiziq community member
29/10/18
Katie
Kwiziq community member
29/10/18
Thanks. Cécile, but on 27 October I had written "That"s great. I don't need a reply to my question, since it's the same as Rosemary's. Thanks." when I saw Aurélie's answer.
Also, I thought I'd already written this reply to you, Cécile, but it seems to have disappeared...
Katie
Kwiziq community member
29/10/18
Thanks. Cécile, but on 27 October I had written "That"s great. I don't need a reply to my question, since it's the same as Rosemary's. Thanks." when I saw Aurélie's answer.
Also, I thought I'd already written this reply to you, Cécile, but it seems to have disappeared...
Katie
Kwiziq community member
29/10/18
Oh no! My answer now appears three times! Very sorry.
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
30/10/18
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
21/09/18
Bonjour Rosemary !
I understand your reasoning, and it makes sense, however, there is a nuance there in both English and French:
- When she wins, she will be happy. -> both actions are seen as simultaneous here
Quand elle gagnera, elle sera heureuse.
- When she's won, she'll be happy. -> here the action of winning precedes the happiness
Quand elle aura gagné, elle sera heureuse.
I hope that's helpful!
Bonne journée !
Katie
Kwiziq community member
27/10/18
Ron
Kwiziq community member
25/12/17
Bonsoir Sharon,
according to the Collins-Robert the word vaisselle is used singularly but has a plural sense to it.
dishes (= crockery collectively) = la vaisselle
There are a few other words in French where this is the case.
Sharon
Kwiziq community member
25/12/17
Ron
Kwiziq community member
26/09/17
Laura
Kwiziq language super star
24/03/17
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
8/02/17
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
12/12/16
neville
Kwiziq community member
21 March 2019
1 reply
why not futur antérieur?
From a quiz on usage of "quand" and future tense:Question was:Quand ils ________, tu iras les accueillir. When they arrive, you will go and welcome them.and the correct answer given was "arriveront".However, I wonder if the futur antérieur would be more appropriate/acceptable? They have to arrive before you can go meet them, right? So, how about:"Quand ils seront arrivés, tu iras les accueillir."Can anyone provide guidance on this?Merci!neville
Kwiziq community member
21 March 2019
21/03/19
NOT A REAL REPLY.
I'm replying to this question myself to see if that will keep it in the system because the first time I submitted it the system deleted it.