3.3.14 - Work Again With The Pronoun “En,” In A Wider Variety Of Sentences

Question 1

— Tu prends du vin? — Are you having [some] wine?
— Oui, j’en prends. — Yes, I’m having some.
(Non, je n’en prends pas.) (No, I’m not having any.)

Answer 1

As the above examples show, you practiced using “en” in reference to food and drinks.
“However, there are other times when “en” is used to replace ANY noun preceded by du,
de la, de l’, des, or de. Look at these examples and some additional translations of “en.”

Question 2

— Tu prends un biscuit? — Are you having a cookie?
— Oui, j’en prends un. — Yes, I’m having one [of them].
(Oui, j’en prends trois.) (Yes, I’m having three [of them].)
(Non, je n’en prends pas.) (No, I’m not having any.)
— Tu as deux chats, n’est-ce pas? — You have two cats, don’t you?
— Oui, j’en ai deux. — Yes, I have two [of them].

Answer 2

Remember that “en” can also be used to replace a noun preceded by un, une, or a number
(in this instance, include un, une or the number in the sentence containing “en,” unless the
sentence is negative). See that the first examples are in reference to food, but the second is
not.

Question 3

Elle n’a pas de devoirs ce soir. She doesn’t have [any] homework tonight.
Elle n’en a pas ce soir. She doesn’t have any tonight.
Il parle souvent des sports. He often talks about sports.
Il en parle souvent. He often talks about them.
Nous sommes sortis du cinéma. We came out of the movie theater.
Nous en sommes sortis. We came out [of it].
Qu’est-ce que tu penses de ma jupe? What do you think of my skirt?
Qu’est-ce que tu en penses? What do you think of it?
Est-ce que vous jouez de la guitare? Do you play the guitar?
Est-ce que vous en jouez? Do you play it?

Answer 3

As the above examples show, you practiced using “en” in reference to food and drinks.
However, there are other times when “en” is used to replace a noun preceded by du, de la,
de l’, des, or de. Look at these examples and some additional translations of “en.”

Question 4

In a negative sentence with “en” “ne.. pas go around what part(s) of the sentence?

Answer 4

Ne.. pas go around en and the verb

Question 5

In negative sentences with “en” and a specified number what part of the sentence is ommited?

Answer 5

The number is not included since all you’d be saying is not having any