In this article, we will continue the topic of pronouns –en and –y, namely their use in French.
If you remember, the pronoun –en replaces everything that starts with –D (d ’, de, de la, du, des), but y replaces everything that starts with A (à, au). When translating, we often use the word - "there". Also, y replaces inanimate nouns with the prepositions à, sur, dans, en, à cela. Now we will consider all cases in detail and visually.
Paul va à Lyon. Il y va en voiture |
Paul is going to Lyon, He is going there by car. |
Anne habite à Lisbonne. Elle y habite depuis un an |
Anna lives in Lisbonne. She has been living there for a year. |
Tu pars en France cet été ? Oui, je vais y aller au mois de juillet ! |
Are you going to France this summer? - Yes, I am going there! |
Nous mettons nos cahiers sur le bureau. Nous y mettons nos cahiers |
We put our notebooks on the table. We put our notebooks there. |
Je suis chez moi. J'y suis jusqu'à six heures |
I am at home, I am there (here) till 6. |
Je pense à mon pays. J'y pense souvent |
I think about my country. I think about it. |
Je participe à ce projet. J'y participe |
I take part in this project. I take part in it. |
Elle ne répond pas à ma lettre. Elle n'y répond pas |
She doesn’t answer my letter. She doesn’t answer it. |
Tu joues au football ? Oui, j'y joue |
Do you play football? - Yes, I do. I play it. |
What is important to remember here? That –y replaces an INANIMATE object. And as you can see, when translating we use English prepositions - in, to, about, etc. Here's an interesting example: Je pense à Michel. Je pense à lui. I hope you have carefully read the beginning of this article and the heading ofCase 2. Michelle is an animate noun ("alive"), so in order not to repeat his name, I and the French use a pronoun. Be extremely careful - think before you say.
We hope this article (or rather two articles) was useful and helped you to see a ray of light in the realm of French pronouns.
Author: Kseniya Arman
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