French grammar · Elementary (A2)
The pronouns y and en
Y replaces a place (there), and en replaces some, any or a quantity: how to use them and where they go.
Y: there
replaces a place that has just been mentioned, usually after , , , , or . It means “there”, but English often leaves “there” out, while French needs .
Some everyday phrases use : (Shall we go?), (Let's go), (Go on).
- Tu vas au cinéma ? — Oui, j'y vais ce soir.Are you going to the cinema? — Yes, I'm going tonight.
- Amboise ? Je voudrais y aller en mai.Amboise? I'd like to go there in May.
- Chez tes parents ? Non, je n'y vais pas.To your parents'? No, I'm not going.
En: some, any, of them
replaces a noun that comes after , , de l', , or after a quantity. It means “some”, “any”, “of it” or “of them”. English often leaves it out, but French can't.
With a number or a quantity word, replaces the noun, and the number or quantity stays after the verb: , .
- Tu as du pain ? — Oui, j'en ai.Have you got any bread? — Yes, I have some.
- Des tomates ? J'en voudrais un kilo.Tomatoes? I'd like a kilo.
- Tu as des frères ? — J'en ai deux.Do you have any brothers? — I have two.
- Il y a des magasins ? — Oui, il y en a beaucoup.Are there any shops? — Yes, there are lots.
Where they go
Like , and , and go just before the verb, before an infinitive, or before or in the passé composé. In the negative, goes before them. With , comes after : .
| Sentence | English |
|---|---|
| I'm going (there) tomorrow. | |
| I'm going to go (there) tomorrow. | |
| We visited two (of them). | |
| I haven't got any. | |
| There's one for you. |