Language/French/Grammar/“en”-when-numbers-are-direct-objects
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Necessity to use “en” when numbers are direct objects
Number is a direct object[edit | edit source]
The pronoun en must be inserted before the verb when a number on its own (or followed by an adjective, e.g. deux grands) is a direct object:
- J'en prends deux (grands), s'il vous plaît
I'll take two (big ones), please
- Elle lui en a offert une douzaine
She offered him a dozen
Number is a subject[edit | edit source]
This is not the case, however, when a number alone (or followed by an adjective) is a subject:
- Deux (grands) ont disparu
Two (big ones) have disappeared
- Une douzaine me suffira
A dozen will be enough for me
quantifiers[edit | edit source]
en must be similarly inserted before the verb when quantifiers like quelquesuns, plusieurs and certains stand alone as direct objects:
- J'en ai encore quelques-uns
I still have a few
- J'en ai encore plusieurs
I still have several
- J'en ai encore certains
I still have some
Other Chapters[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Inversion of subject and verb after some sentence initial adverbs
- Grammatical and real number
- “être” and “avoir” with verbs used intransitively and transitively
- Verbs whose stems end in c— or g—
- Use of on
- Differences in the use of numbers in French and English Addresses
- Repetition of the definite article
- Collective nouns
- Stressed pronouns
- Reflexive pronouns
- Easy way of generating the imperfect subjunctive
- Adjectives preceded by de
- Differences in the use of numbers in French and English mille milliers milliards
- subjects objects pronouns
- Summary table of articles