Language/French/Grammar/Use-of-y
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Use of y
Rule and Examples[edit | edit source]
y usually plays the same role in sentences as phrases which follow the verb and are introduced by prepositions like à, en, dans, sur, sous, etc.:
- Je vais à Paris demain J'y vais demain
7 am going to Paris tomorrow I'm going there tomorrow
- Elle vit dans une grande maison Elle y vit
She lives in a large house She lives there
- Il a écrit son nom sur le cahier II y a écrit son nom
He wrote his name on the book He wrote his name there
Although y can generally replace any phrase of this type, both concrete and abstract (as in the examples below), it is usually restricted to non-animate entities:
- Je pense souvent à la retraite
I often think about retirement
J'y pense souvent
- Elle est fidèle à ses principes
She is faithful to her principles
Elle y est fidèle
- Nous sommes entrés dans le débat
We joined in the debate
Nous y sommes entrés
Video: How to use Y[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Ordinal numbers
- Subjunctive versus indicative in clauses dependent on a superlative adjective
- Adverbs ending in —ment derived from the masculine form of an adjective
- Agreement of the past participle following “être” with the subject of a passive
- How to use falloir
- Verbs which take noun + adjective or noun + noun complements
- il or ça with impersonal verbs
- Masculine and feminine forms of adjectives — A change from a nasal vowel to an oral vowel
- Nouns which change meaning when they change gender
- Pronominal verbs used as passives
- Emphasizing the reciprocal use of se by adding l'un l'autre
- ils with arbitrary reference
- Meaning of alors
- Adjective—adjective compounds
- Confusions English and French direct object