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Master French location pronouns "y" and "en" to replace places and quantities, like in "Tu vas à la cuisine ? J'y vais" and "Nous étendons le linge. Nous en étendons beaucoup."
  1. The pronoun "y" replaces a place when it is preceded by "à", "dans", "chez", "sur", "en".
  2. The pronoun "en" replaces a place from which one comes, a quantity, or a partitive preceded by "de", "du", "de la", "des".
Pronom (Pronoun)Exemple
Y

Tu vas à la cuisine ? - Oui, j'y vais.

Je dois nettoyer la cuisine. Je dois y nettoyer le sol. (I have to clean the kitchen. I have to clean the floor there.)

Je vais au frigo. J’y vais pour prendre un verre d’eau. (I am going to the fridge. I am going there to get a glass of water.)

En

Nous étendons le linge. Nous en étendons beaucoup.

Il passe l’aspirateur dans la chambre. Il en passe dans toute la maison. (He vacuum cleans the bedroom. He vacuum cleans it throughout the whole house.)

Elle utilise son ordinateur pour le travail. Elle en utilise pour faire des recherches. (She uses her computer for work. She uses some to do research.)

Exceptions!

  1. If "à" or "de" refers to a person, you should not use "y" or "en", but "lui" or "leur" instead. Example: Je parle à Marie: Je lui parle.

Exercise 1: Les pronoms compléments de lieu: "y" et "en"

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

en, y

1.
Il passe l’aspirateur dans le salon. Il ... passe tous les dimanches.
(He vacuums the living room. He does it every Sunday.)
2.
Je nettoie la cuisine après le dîner. J’... nettoie aussi les fenêtres.
(I clean the kitchen after dinner. I also clean the windows there.)
3.
Il y a une assiette sur la table. Il ... en a une.
(There is a plate on the table. There is one.)
4.
Tu apportes du pain de la boulangerie? J'... apportes deux baguettes.
(Are you bringing bread from the bakery? I'm bringing two baguettes.)
5.
Vous faites une machine de linge? Nous ... faisons une chaque semaine.
(Are you doing a load of laundry? We do one every week.)
6.
Il a mis la vaisselle dans le lave-vaisselle. Il ... met souvent les assiettes après le dîner.
(He put the dishes in the dishwasher. He often puts the plates in there after dinner.)
7.
Il y a du pain dans le four. J'... veux un morceau.
(There is some bread in the oven. I want a piece of it.)
8.
Tu as mis la télé à fond. Tu ... mets la télé trop fort!
(You’ve turned the TV up full blast. You turn the TV up too loud!)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Je vais à la cuisine. J'___ vais pour prendre du pain.

(I go to the kitchen. I ___ go there to get some bread.)

2. Tu passes l'aspirateur dans le salon ? Oui, je ___ passe.

(Are you vacuuming in the living room? Yes, I ___ vacuum there.)

3. Nous faisons une machine. Nous ___ faisons maintenant.

(We are doing a load of laundry. We ___ are doing one now.)

4. Il va au frigo. Il ___ va pour prendre une boisson.

(He goes to the fridge. He ___ goes there to get a drink.)

5. Elle utilise son ordinateur pour le travail. Elle ___ utilise beaucoup.

(She uses her computer for work. She ___ uses a lot of them.)

6. Tu passes l'aspirateur chez Marie. Tu ___ passes ce matin.

(You vacuum at Marie's place. You ___ vacuum there this morning.)

Understanding French Place Complement Pronouns: "y" and "en"

This lesson focuses on two important French pronouns that replace certain place complements to avoid repetition: "y" and "en". They are essential for forming fluent sentences when referring to locations or quantities without repeating the nouns.

The Pronoun "y"

"Y" replaces a place or location introduced by prepositions like à, dans, chez, sur, or en. For example, if you say Tu vas à la cuisine ?, you can avoid repeating "à la cuisine" by saying Oui, j'y vais.

  • Tu vas à la cuisine ? - Oui, j'y vais.
  • Je dois nettoyer la cuisine. Je dois y nettoyer le sol.
  • Je vais au frigo. J'y vais pour prendre un verre d'eau.

The Pronoun "en"

"En" replaces a place or source introduced by de (including du, de la, des), or it replaces quantities and partitive articles. For example, when talking about laundry, instead of repeating "le linge," you say Nous en étendons beaucoup.

  • Nous étendons le linge. Nous en étendons beaucoup.
  • Il passe l’aspirateur dans la chambre. Il en passe dans toute la maison.
  • Elle utilise son ordinateur pour le travail. Elle en utilise pour faire des recherches.

Important Note on People vs. Places

When à or de refers to a person, you do not use "y" or "en". Instead, you use "lui" (to him/her) or "leur" (to them). For example, Je parle à Marie: Je lui parle.

Key Points Summary

  • "Y" replaces locations introduced by prepositions like à, dans, chez, sur, en.
  • "En" replaces places introduced by de and expresses quantities or partitive objects.
  • Do not confuse place pronouns with indirect object pronouns for people (lui, leur).

Comparing French "y" and "en" with English

English does not have direct equivalents of "y" and "en" as pronouns, which can make them tricky for English speakers. Instead, in English, we often repeat the place or use adverbs like "there" or expressions like "of it/them". For example:

  • French: J'y vais. — English: "I go there."
  • French: J'en prends. — English: "I take some (of it)."

Understanding how "y" and "en" replace phrases helps avoid repetition and makes your French sound more natural and fluid.

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Donia Ben Salem

Applied Foreign Languages

Université de Lorraine

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 23:54