French Phrase
Des familles viendront.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘Some families will come.’ It states a future event involving more than one family, often used when talking about gatherings, trips, or arrivals that are expected but not yet confirmed.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to announce or predict that several families are expected to arrive at an event, a holiday destination, a school, or any situation where multiple families will be present in the future.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Desfamillesviendront.
Des (indefinite article)
‘Des’ is the plural indefinite article, equivalent to ‘some’ or ‘any’ in English.
familles (noun, fem. pl.)
‘familles’ is a feminine plural noun meaning ‘families’.
viendront (future simple)
‘viendront’ is the third‑person plural future simple of the verb ‘venir’ (to come).
Future simple vs. ‘aller + infinitive’
In spoken French the near future is often expressed with ‘aller + infinitive’, but the future simple is preferred in formal or written contexts.
🗨In Conversation
Qui sera présent à la fête demain ?
Who will be present at the party tomorrow?
Des familles viendront.
Some families will come.
✕Common Mistakes
Les familles viendront.
‘Les’ makes the noun definite, changing the meaning to ‘the families’ rather than ‘some families’.
Des familles viendra.
‘Viendra’ is singular; it must agree with the plural subject ‘familles’.
Des familles seront venir.
Mixing ‘être’ with ‘venir’ is incorrect; use either the future simple of ‘venir’ (viendront) or the near‑future construction (vont venir).
↔Alternatives
Des familles arriveront.
Some families will arrive.
Plusieurs familles viendront.
Several families will come.
Des familles seront présentes.
Some families will be present.
Cultural Tip
In French, the future simple (viendront) sounds more formal and is common in written announcements, news reports, or polite speech. In everyday conversation many speakers prefer the near‑future construction ‘des familles vont venir’, which feels more casual. Also, remember that ‘des’ can be omitted in certain contexts (e.g., ‘Familles viendront’) but the meaning becomes slightly more generic.