French future forms

Hello,

Do French future forms seem confusing to non -native French speakers as English future forms seem confusing to non-native English speakers?

For example;

I am going to visit my sister.

I am visiting my sister.

I will visit my sister.

I will be visitng my sister.

I am about to visit my sister.

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Charles D on June 17, 2012 at 4:53am

Je vais rendre visite a ma soeur.

Je rends visite a ma soeur (alt: Je suis en train de rendre visite a ma soeur.)

Je rendrais visite a ma soeur.

Je serais rendre visite a ma soeur.

Je suis sur la pointe de rendre visite a mon soeur.

I must admit that I am not too certain about the fourth sentence, though I think "I will visit" and "I will be visiting" are both expressed by "Je rendrais visite".

Also, one "visits" a city or a country (visiter), but one "renders a visit" to a person (rendre visite a).

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EducatorPermalink Reply by George Hunt on June 17, 2012 at 3:19pm

Je vais rendre visite a ma soeur.

Je rends visite a ma soeur (alt: Je suis en train de rendre visite a ma soeur.)

Je rendrais rendrai visite a ma soeur.

Je serais rendre rendrai visite a ma soeur.

Je suis sur la pointe le point de rendre visite a mon soeur.

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Permalink Reply by Charles D on June 17, 2012 at 3:35pm

Thanks, George, for correcting my spelling and for clarifying that sentences 3 & 4 use the same French construction.

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EducatorPermalink Reply by George Hunt on June 17, 2012 at 5:57pm

well there is also a construction "je serai en train de rendre visite a ma soeur" which puts more emphasis on the continuity involved in visiting , if you see what I am trying to say .(leaving ,arriving,having tea and scones etc. etc.)

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Permalink Reply by Sarah on June 17, 2012 at 3:02pm

In English they are used in different situations and mean different things and you can't use them interchangeably. Is it the same with French?