The pronouns y and en
In everyday French, you almost never repeat a noun once it is clear from context. Instead, you replace it with a short pronoun. Two of the most useful are y and en: they make your speech sound fluid and natural, which examiners reward in the speaking and writing sections. Y usually stands for a place or a thing introduced by à; en usually stands for a thing introduced by de or by a quantity.
| y aller | to go there |
| s'y rendre | to go there (more formal) |
| y penser | to think about it |
| en venir | to come from there / to get to (a point) |
| en parler | to talk about it |
| en avoir besoin | to need some / to need it |
| en vouloir | to want some |
| il y a | there is / there are |
| le quartier | the neighbourhood |
| la démarche | the (administrative) step/procedure |
| le rendez-vous | the appointment |
| s'occuper de | to take care of / to deal with |
Associez chaque expression à son sens.
Match each expression to its meaning.
Choisissez le bon pronom.
Choose the correct pronoun.
Quelle phrase remplace correctement « de documents » ?
Which sentence correctly replaces 'de documents'?
Use y to replace a place (often introduced by à, chez, dans, sur) or a thing introduced by à after verbs like penser à, réfléchir à, s'intéresser à. It goes before the verb. Important: y never replaces a person; for a person you keep à lui, à elle, etc.
Complétez avec le bon pronom.
Complete with the right pronoun.
Tu penses à ta démarche d'immigration ? Oui, j' ____ pense tout le temps.
Complétez avec le bon pronom.
Complete with the right pronoun.
Vous voulez du thé ? Oui, j' ____ veux bien, merci.
Conservez le nombre en remplaçant par en.
Keep the number when replacing with en.
Combien de frères as-tu ? J' ____ ai deux.
Use en to replace a thing introduced by de (after parler de, avoir besoin de, s'occuper de) or a quantity: an indefinite article (du, de la, des), a number, or a word like beaucoup, plusieurs, assez. With a number or quantity word, you repeat that word at the end: J'en ai deux.
Remettez les mots dans l'ordre. (double pronom)
Put the words in order. (double pronoun)
Remettez les mots dans l'ordre.
Put the words in order.
Traduisez en français avec un pronom.
Translate into French using a pronoun.
I'm going there tomorrow.
When two object pronouns appear together before the verb, they follow a fixed order: me / te / se / nous / vous, then le / la / les, then lui / leur, then y, then en. A handy rule: y and en always come last, and in that order (y before en). So you say Il y en a. (There is/are some.)
Traduisez en français avec un pronom.
Translate into French using a pronoun.
My advisor often gives me some.
Écoutez et écrivez ce que vous entendez.
Listen and type what you hear.
Écoutez et écrivez ce que vous entendez.
Listen and type what you hear.
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