| When Caroline finishes her studies, she will go to the United States. | Lorsque Caroline aura terminé ses études, elle ira aux États-Unis. |
Comparing French and English Sentence Structure
It can be interesting to look at French sentences and their English translations while comparing the two. Once you have identified corresponding words, you will realize how many similarities there are French and English. You’ll also notice some big differences, and those are worth examining more closely.
When = Lorsque
Lorsque means when, just like quand. Even though the English translation is followed by the present tense, when making reference to the future in French, you should use a future tense.
Lesson: Using future tenses with words like QUAND and other conjunctions
finishes = aura fini
The futur antérieur is used to talk about something that will have happened or will have been completed at some point in the future. In this sentence, when Caroline will have finished her studies, she will do something else. Again, the present tense is used in English, and this is a big difference in French and English grammar.
Lesson: Le futur antérieur – Future perfect
her studies = ses études
Use a possessive adjective to say her studies. The adjective is plural because of the plural noun that follows it.
Lesson: French possessive adjectives
she = elle
Lesson: French subject pronouns
will go = ira
Ira is the third person singular (elle) irregular form of the verb aller (to go) in the futur simple. This tense is used after the futur antérieur in this sentence, because it is something that will happen after something else will have been completed (her studies).
to the United States = aux États-Unis
Aux is the contraction that is formed when à is followed by les, and in this sentence it means to the: à + les États-Unis.
Lesson: French definite, indefinite, and partitive articles
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