Après que + le futur antérieur or après que + l'indicatif

Question

How does one differentiate when to use each structure?  I have reread each lesson and the thoughts are unclear.
Merci en avance.

Cécile Janty-Davies · Accepted Answer

Hi Ron,
Sorry about the delay in answering your question.
 Le Futur antérieur is an indicative tense.
In those examples you have to use it as you are talking about two actions in the future .
After/once you have done this, you will do that. 
One action precedes the other and takes the 'futur antérieur'.
In French ( unlike English) words like 'quand', 'lorsque' are followed by a future tense.
Hope this helps!

Chris Wirt · Answer

You use the future tense when to events happen in the future, regardless of their durations. For example: "Quand je serai vieux je vivrai à la campagne." Now let's make this into a bit contrived example using le futur antérieur: "Quand j'aurai vieilli, je vivrai à la campagne."

The first example concerns two points in time: being old and living in the countryside. The second example is different: "when I will have aged" refers to the end of a process. Hence the futur antérieur.

-- Chris (not a native speaker).

Chris Wirt · Answer

By the way, the example given in the lesson "When I have finished my work I will watch TV". This is, in fact, improper English since in English as well one would need to use the future perfect tense: "When I'll have finished my work I'll watch TV".

-- Chris.

Sherry McCowan · Answer

Chris, it is proper English, at least in the U.S. I've never heard a native speaker say "when I'll have finished my work ...".

chris wallis · Answer

Sherry is correct. We say When I have finished because the 'when' tells you its in the future. when I will have finished is a tautology.  I think thats true for all english verbs. I cant think of an example where it isnt.

chris wallis · Answer

Sherry is correct. We say When I have finished because the 'when' tells you its in the future. when I will have finished is a tautology.  I think thats true for all english verbs. I cant think of an example where it isnt.