Sentence builder

Build French sentences with y and en

J'y vais, j'en veux, il y en a: tap the tiles to place y and en correctly in eight sentences, and learn what each pronoun replaces.

In short

Y replaces a place or à + thing (Je vais à Paris → J'y vais; Je pense à mon examen → J'y pense). En replaces de + thing or a quantity (Je veux du pain → J'en veux; J'ai trois frères → J'en ai trois). Both go before the conjugated verb.

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Three baguettes in a basket beside a plate of sliced bread.
You can ask for some bread with j’en veux. Illustration: Atelier
Study first
PronounReplacesExample
yà / en / dans + placeTu vas à la gare ? → Tu y vas ?
yà + thingJe réfléchis à ta question → J'y réfléchis.
endu / de la / des + nounTu veux du café ? → Tu en veux ?
ena quantityJ'ai deux chats → J'en ai deux.

Build the sentence

Tap the words in the right order. Tap a placed word to send it back.

  1. I'm going there tomorrow.

  2. We have three of them.

  3. Do you want some more?

  4. He thought about it all day.

  5. I don't need it.

  6. She's been working there for two years.

  7. We're going to go there by train.

  8. There are a lot of them.

When do you use y or en in French?

Il y a + en gives the very common il y en a (there is / are some). With a near future or an infinitive, the pronoun goes before the infinitive: Je vais y aller, je veux en acheter. In the negative, y and en stay inside: je n'y vais pas, je n'en veux pas.

  • Je vais à Paris y.J'y vais.

    Y goes before the verb.

  • J'ai trois.J'en ai trois.

    With a number, keep en.

  • Je y vais.J'y vais.

    Je elides before y.

Question 1No account needed
"There are some."

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Il y en a.. Il y en a: a fixed order.

Question 2No account needed
"I'm going to go there."

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Je vais y aller.. Before the infinitive. Check it in the text above.