LVC: Le Y Pronom
Le Y Pronom
Explication - The y pronoun expresses place. The y pronoun replaces a preposition plus its object. The typical translation for the y pronoun in English context is there. There are, however, other uses for the y pronoun in French. Everything depends on context. It is important to note that the y pronoun is tricky for English-speakers because it does not exist in English. In English, the word there suffices in most contexts. The y pronoun can refer to objects only, not to a person.
Look at how the Y pronoun works in French
Explication - In the table below you see sentences including the preposition and object. You then see what the y pronoun replaces.
|
Y Pronoun Examples |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Phrase |
Préposition |
Objet |
Phrase avec le pronom y |
|
Il va à la boucherie. (He is going to the butcher shop.) |
à
|
la boucherie
|
Il y va. (He is going there.)
|
|
Tu achètes des croissants à la boulangerie? (You are buying croissants at the bakery?) |
à
|
la boulangerie
|
Tu y achètes des croissants ? (You are buying croissants there?)
|
|
Nous n'allons pas en France cet été. (We are not going to France this summer). |
en
|
France
|
Nous n'y allons pas cet été. (We are not going there this summer.)
|
|
Le chat dort sous la table. (The cat is sleeping under the table.) |
sous |
la table |
Le chat y dort. (The cat is sleeping there.)
|
Note:
- Je + y = J'y
- ne + y = n'y
- de + y = d'y
Attention!
The y pronoun regularly comes before the verb of which it is the object, even in dual-verb constructions. Look at the example sentences below.
Dual-verb constructions with the y pronoun.
|
Y Pronoun Examples - Dual-Verb Constructions |
|||
|
Phrase (dual-verb) |
Préposition |
Objet |
Phrase avec le pronom y |
|
Il ne peut pas aller à la boulangerie à midi. (He can not go to the baker at noon.) |
à
|
la boulangerie
|
Il ne peut pas y aller à midi. (He can go there at noon.)
|
|
Voulez-vous être au marché vers 13h? (Do you want to be at the market around 1 pm?) |
*au = à + le |
le marché
|
Voulez-vous y être vers 13h ? (Do you want to be there around 1 pm?)
|
|
Nous allons voyager en France cet été. (We are going to travel in France this summer). |
en
|
France
|
Nous allons y voyager cet été. (We are going to travel there this summer.)
|
|
Le chat va dormir sur mon lit. (The cat is going to sleep on my bed.) |
sur |
mon lit |
Le chat va y dormir. (The cat is going to sleep there.)
|
Practice Activity
Que faire ? - Complete the following activities to check your comprehension of the y pronoun.