French Pronouns En and Y: When and How to Use Them
What are En and Y?
En and y are French pronouns that replace specific nouns or phrases. They help avoid repetition and create smoother, more natural French sentences.
The Pronoun En
En typically replaces:
- Nouns introduced by quantity expressions
- Nouns with indefinite articles (un, une, des)
- Nouns with partitive articles (du, de la, des)
- Phrases beginning with "de"
Example Sentences with En:
- "Tu veux du café?" → "Oui, j'en veux" (Do you want coffee? → Yes, I want some)
- En replaces "du café" because it's a partitive article
- "J'ai trois chats" → "J'en ai trois" (I have three cats → I have three of them)
- En replaces "chats" because it follows a number
- "Elle parle de son voyage" → "Elle en parle" (She talks about her trip → She talks about it)
- En replaces "de son voyage" because it starts with "de"
The Pronoun Y
Y typically replaces:
- Locations (introduced by à, dans, sur, etc.)
- Ideas or concepts introduced by "à"
- Things you think about or believe in
Example Sentences with Y:
- "Tu vas à Paris?" → "Oui, j'y vais" (Are you going to Paris? → Yes, I'm going there)
- Y replaces "à Paris" because it's a location
- "Elle pense à ses examens" → "Elle y pense" (She thinks about her exams → She thinks about them)
- Y replaces "à ses examens" because it follows "penser à"
- "Je réponds au message" → "J'y réponds" (I'm responding to the message → I'm responding to it)
- Y replaces "au message" because it's introduced by "à"
Position in Sentences
For En:
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Before the verb in simple tenses: "J'en mange" (I eat some)
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Before the auxiliary in compound tenses: "J'en ai mangé" (I ate some)
For Y:
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Before the verb in simple tenses: "J'y vais" (I go there)
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Before the auxiliary in compound tenses: "J'y suis allé" (I went there)
Common Expressions Using En and Y
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"s'en aller" - to leave "Je m'en vais" (I'm leaving)
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"en avoir marre" - to be fed up "J'en ai marre" (I'm fed up)
-
"y arriver" - to succeed/manage "J'y arrive" (I'm managing)
Important Tips
- Both en and y go before the verb they modify
- They cannot replace people
- When using both en and y together, y comes first: "J'y en trouve" (I find some there)
Practice Examples
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"As-tu des livres?" → "Oui, j'en ai" (Do you have books? → Yes, I have some)
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"Allez-vous à l'école?" → "Oui, j'y vais" (Are you going to school? → Yes, I'm going there)
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"Pensez-vous au problème?" → "Oui, j'y pense" (Are you thinking about the problem? → Yes, I'm thinking about it)
These pronouns make your French sound more natural and help you avoid repetition.
Listen for them in French conversations and notice how native speakers use them.