French future forms

[Sarah]

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

[Charles D]

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).

[George Hunt]

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.

[Charles D]

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

[George Hunt]

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.)

[Sarah]

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?

 

Thanks

[George Hunt]

Exactly . (tout a fait!)