Pronouns “Y” and “En”

Le Pronom “Y” ​(The Pronoun ​“Y”​)

As I previously mentioned, ​y​ replaces constructions that include the preposition ​à​,
but you shouldn’t stop reading just yet. There’s more! Check out the various uses
and limitations of the pronoun ​y​.

à + ​location noun

In its simplest use, the pronoun ​y​ replaces the indirect object of the verb when it is
followed by a noun that is a location.

For example, look at the following phrase:

Vous allez à la bibliothèque? ​(Are you going to the library?)

In case it’s unclear, ​la bibliothèque​ is a ​location​. Now, if you wanted to make a
really long sentence, you can say something like:

Oui, je vais à la bibliothèque.​ (Yes, I am going to the library.)

You will notice, however, that the response sounds formal and rigid and no one talks
like that. What we need is a pronoun to replace ​à la bibliothèque​.

That pronoun is ​y​. Observe:

Oui, j’y vais. ​(Yes, I’m going there.)

à​ + non-person noun

Y c​ an also replace ​à w
​ ith non-person nouns that are not locations. When a verb
takes an indirect object, you can replace that indirect object with the pronoun ​y​.

Check out this example using the noun ​le livre​ (the book):
Tu penses à ton livre. ​(You’re thinking about your book.)

Tu y penses. ​(You’re thinking about it.)

Location constructions

Though the pronoun ​y​ is generally used to replace ​à​ with non-person and location
nouns, you can also use it to replace other prepositions so long as they occur before
a location noun.

For example, you can use it with phrases that include ​chez,​ a preposition often used
to refer to being “at” someone’s home, or ​dans​ (in).

Elle était chez moi.​ (She was at my house.)

Elle y était. (​ She was there.)

The no-nos

As with all French grammar, the use of the pronoun ​y​ is pretty restrictive. You cannot
use ​y​ to replace ​à + ​a person​ or ​à​ + a verb​.

For example, it doesn’t make sense to use it in the following ways:

Je réponds à Marie. ​(I’m responding to Marie.)

J’y réponds.

J’hésite à lire le livre. ​(I hesitate to read the book.)

J’y hésite.

There are also a number of expressions that have ​y​ in them. These include, for
example, ​il y a​ ​(there is) and ​allons-y​ (let’s go). It may be confusing for learners to
wrap their heads around these expressions and the role that ​y​ plays in them, but
don’t worry about it! These are fixed expressions, so you can take them at face
value.
Le Pronom “En”​ (The Pronoun ​“En”)​

In the same way that ​y​ replaces constructions with ​à ​to give the meaning of “there,”
en​ r​ eplaces ones that use ​de​ ​(of) to give the meaning of ​“some”​ ​or ​“any.”​ Check
out these situations where you should use ​en​.

de +​ (indefinite article) + noun

First and foremost, ​en​ can replace nouns that use the ​partitive article ​de​. ​The
partitive ​de i​ s the equivalent of saying “some”​ ​in English. Check out this example of
one and how it came be replaced by the adverbial pronoun:

Tu as du thé? ​(Do you have some tea?)

Oui, j’en ai. (​ Yes, I have some.)

Furthermore, ​en​ can replace ​de​ and a noun that has an indefinite article (​un​ or ​une)​ :

Il a besoin d’une boîte? ​(Does he need a box?)

Non, il n’en a pas besoin. ​(No, he doesn’t need one.)

Quantifiers

En​ can replace modifiers such as quantifiers (i.e., something that gives a quantity or
a number).

J’ai beaucoup de livres.​ (I have a lot of books.)

J’en ai beaucoup.​ (I have a lot of them.)

Nous voulons quatre livres. ​(We want four books.)

Nous en voulons quatre​. (We want four of them.)

Set verb expressions

En c​ an replace ​de​ and the following noun in situations where ​de​ is part of the verb
phrase itself.

For example, ​se souvenir de​ is a set verb expression meaning “to remember.”

Elle se souvient de ma lettre. ​(She remembers my letter.)

Elle s’en souvient.​ (She remembers it.)

The no-nos

Like ​y,​ you ​cannot​ use ​en ​to replace ​de​ + a person​ or ​de ​+ a verb​.

For example, using it in the following sentences makes no sense, and if you say
these, a French speaker will look at you like you have brie cheese for brains:

Elle parle de moi.​ (She’s talking about me.)

Elle en parle.

Je choisis de faire mes devoirs. ​(I’m choosing to do my homework.)

J’en choisis.

The Pronoun Hierarchy

Remember those endless rules that plague the French language? Well, the rules
regarding ​y​ and ​en​ don’t stop here.

In these situations, your direct object personal pronouns come first (​me, te, nous,
vous)​ , and then come your optional inanimate direct pronouns (​le, la, les​). Next
come your indirect objects (​lui, leur​), and finally our new friends ​y​ and ​en​.

Check it out:
me, te, nous, vous

le, la, les

lui, leur

en

So, for example:

J’ai donné du thé à ma mère.​ (I gave some tea to my mom.)

Je lui en ai donné. ​(I gave some to her.)