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The French adverbial pronoun yis so tiny that one might think its role in a sentence is not very

important, but in fact quite the opposite is true. It is extremely important in French.

Yrefers to a previously mentioned or implied place; it is normally translated by "there" in

English. Yusually replaces aprepositionalphrase beginning with something like , chez, ordans.

Are you going to the bank today? No, I'm going (there) tomorrow.Tu vas la banque aujourd'hui ? Non, j'y vais demain.

We're going to the store. Do you want to go (there)?

Nous allons au magasin. Tu veux y aller ?

He was at Jean's house. He was there.

Il tait chez Jean. Il y tait.

Note that "there" can often be omitted in English, but ycan never be omitted in French.Je vais(I'm

going) is not a complete sentence in French; if you don't follow the verb with a place, you have to

sayJ'y vais.

Ycan also replace + anounthat is not a person,* such as withverbs that need .Note that in

French, you must include either + something or its replacement y, even though the equivalent may

be optional in English. You cannot replace the noun with an object pronoun.

I'm responding to a letter. I'm responding (to it).

Je rponds une lettre. J'y rponds.

Wrong: Je rponds, Je la rponds, Je lui rponds.

He's thinking about our trip. He's thinking about it.

Il pense notre voyage. Il y pense.

Wrong: Il pense, Il le pense, Il lui pense.

You have to obey the law. You have to obey it.

Tu dois obir la loi. Tu dois y obir.

Wrong: Tu dois obir, Tu dois l'obir, Tu dois lui obir.

Yes, I attended the meeting. Yes, I attended (it).

Oui, j'ai assist la runion. Oui, j'y ai assist.

Wrong: Oui, j'ai assist, je l'ai assist, je lui ai assist.

I'm going to think about your proposal. I'm going to think about it.

Je vais rflchir votre proposition. Je vais y rflchir.

Wrong: Je vais rflchir, Je vais la rflchir, Je vais lui rflchir.

*In most cases, + person may only be replaced by anindirect object.However, in the case ofverbs

that don't allow preceding indirect object pronouns,you can use y:

Pay attention to him.

Fais attention lui, Fais-y attention.

Wrong: Fais-lui attention.

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Note that yusually cannot replace + verb.

I hesitate to tell the truth. I hesitate to tell it.

J'hsite dire la vrit. J'hsite la dire.

Wrong: J'y hsite.

I continue to read Balzac. I continue to read him.

Je continue lire Balzac. Je continue le lire.

Wrong: J'y continue.

Yis also found in the expressionsil y a,on y va,and allons-y.

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