Y vs EN in French
two little words but very useful, they are used for a noun or a noun phrase in sentences like ...
Je réponds à ton email: j’y réponds I am replying to your email: I am replying to it
Je parle de ma maison: j’en parle I am talking about my house: I am talking about it
The question is when and how to use them.
1- Y
“Y” for things and animals
Prends garde au chien: Prends-y garde Be careful with the dog: be careful with it
Elle pense aux vacances: Elle y pense She is thinking about her holiday: she is thinking about it
The Rule: “Y” can replace a noun or a noun phrase in a sentence where the verb introduces them with the word “à”
Répondre à, aller à , penser à…
You need to know the verbs in French to use “y” correctly.
The verb Aller (to go) needs either y or en in short sentences: J’y vais: I go, I am off (short sentence) Je vais au cinéma (long sentence)
ATTENTION :
With people, we prefer to keep the proper pronoun/ Je pense à ma mère Je pense à elle! (instead of j’y pense).
2- EN
“En” for things, animals and people
Charles parle de ses amis: Charles en parle Charles is talking about his friends: Charles is talking about them
Que penses-tu de ce livre? Qu’en penses-tu? What do you think of this book? What do you think of it?
The Rule: “En” can replace a noun or a noun phrase in a sentence where the verb introduces them with the word “de”
Parle de, penser de, jouer de…
The verb Aller (to go) needs either y or en in short sentences:
Je m’en vais: I am off (short sentence)
Tu me donnes des fleurs, tu me donnes de l’eau: tu m’en donnes.
3- MORE RULES
“En” represents a part of a bigger quantity or number of something
J’ai acheté des fraises J’en ai acheté Je n’ai pas d’argent Je n’en ai pas Je n’ai pas d’eau Je n’en ai pas J’ai pris des livres J’en ai pris
En also works with singular countable words: J’ai acheté une voiture = j’en ai acheté une (we add “une” or “un” at the end to be sure we are not talking about several cars)
Y also means “there” or “here”
Je reste là or J’y reste
J’y suis, j’y reste
Pay attention to the name of countries: With feminine ones, we use “en”: je vais en France, but we will say “j’y vais”, no problem with masculine countries: je vais à Cuba: j’y vais.
4- IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS
Expressions with “y” and “en”
There is: il y a Ça y est: here it is, done it! En avoir assez: to be fed up or to get enough
Aller:
S’en aller: je m’en vais: I am off, I go away Va-t-en: go away! Y aller: to go there, to be off: j’y vais Vas-y: go!
Example: Tu sais ce que je pense ? Do you know what I am thinking at? Tu sais que je le pense: You know that I think what I’ve just said Tu sais que j’y pense: You know that I am thinking about it! Tu sais ce que j’en pense ? Do you know what I am thinking about it?
