🔄 The French Pronouns Y and En: Rules and Examples
French has two very common little words — y and en — that often confuse learners. They are pronouns that replace parts of a sentence to avoid repetition. Mastering them will make your French sound more natural and fluent.
1. The Pronoun Y
âś… What does y replace?
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It usually replaces a place introduced by à , chez, dans, sur, en…
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It can also replace Ă + thing (but not people).
📌 Examples:
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Tu vas à Paris ? → Oui, j’y vais.
(Are you going to Paris? → Yes, I’m going there.) -
Elle pense à son travail. → Elle y pense.
(She’s thinking about her work → She’s thinking about it.) -
Nous sommes chez Paul. → Nous y sommes.
(We’re at Paul’s place → We’re there.)
2. The Pronoun En
âś… What does en replace?
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It replaces de + thing (of it, about it, from it).
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It replaces nouns introduced by du, de la, de l’, des (some, any).
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It replaces nouns introduced by numbers or quantities.
📌 Examples:
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Tu veux du café ? → Oui, j’en veux.
(Do you want some coffee? → Yes, I want some.) -
Il parle de son voyage. → Il en parle.
(He talks about his trip → He talks about it.) -
Combien de livres as-tu ? → J’en ai trois.
(How many books do you have? → I have three.) -
Elle revient de la plage. → Elle en revient.
(She’s coming back from the beach → She’s coming back from there.)
3. Position of Y and En in a Sentence
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They are placed before the verb in most cases.
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J’en veux. → I want some.
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Nous y allons. → We’re going there.
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With compound tenses (like passé composé), y and en go before the auxiliary.
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Il en a acheté. → He bought some.
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With an infinitive, they go before the infinitive.
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Je vais en prendre. → I’m going to take some.
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4. Y vs. En: What’s the Difference?
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Y = replaces Ă + thing or a place.
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Je vais à l’école → J’y vais.
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En = replaces de + thing or a quantity.
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Je bois du café → J’en bois.
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👉 Quick memory tip:
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Think of y = there.
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Think of en = some / of it.
5. Examples in Sentences
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Tu es allé à la bibliothèque ? → Oui, j’y suis allé.
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Tu parles de ce problème ? → Oui, j’en parle.
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Combien de pommes veux-tu ? → J’en veux deux.
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Vous travaillez à Lyon ? → Oui, nous y travaillons.
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Il revient de vacances. → Il en revient.
âś… Quick Recap
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Y = replaces “à + thing” or a place → J’y vais (I’m going there).
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En = replaces “de + thing” or quantity → J’en ai trois (I have three of them).
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Both usually come before the verb.
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They make sentences shorter and more natural.
🎯 Practice Exercise
Translate into French using y or en:
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I’m going to Paris. → I’m going there.
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Do you drink coffee? → Yes, I drink some.
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He’s talking about his project. → He’s talking about it.
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How many brothers do you have? → I have two.
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We’re at the restaurant. → We are there.
Conclusion
The pronouns y and en are short but essential in French. They help you avoid repetition and sound more natural. Remember: y = there / about it, en = some / of it. With practice, you’ll start using them automatically in conversation.
👉 Pro tip: Try replacing full phrases with y and en in your own French sentences every day.
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- French pronoun y and en
- Difference between y and en in French
- French grammar pronouns examples
- How to use y and en in French
- French basic grammar for beginners