Using Y in French sentences

Question 1

Y replaces SOMETHING never someone. It is a pronoun and most commonly is used to replace à +noun, chez, or dans(at, in, or in home). It can mean “there”, but other uses are in set expressions common in French. They can be pronouns AND adverbs. Y & EN can replace words in a phrase that denote quantities, qualities, properties and relations. Note: while in English, there, is often omitted. But Y can never be omitted in French. Je vais is not a complete sentence. if you don’t follow the verb with a place, say J’y vais.

Source: https://www.thoughtco.com/y-french-pronoun-1368924

Answer 1

Ex: Are you going to the bank today? No, I’m going (there) tomorrow
Tu vas à 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 était chez Jean. Il y était.

It literally translates from: “He was there” into: He there was. But that’s French!
Translation means the same in English.

Question 2

Y can also replace a noun, just not an animate or living one. This happens with verbs that require à to precede them. Again, it is not optional to leave out Y. It must be either à + someTHING, or Y. You cannot replace the noun with with an object pronoun:

Answer 2

Ex: I’m responding to a letter. I’m responding (to it.)
Je réponds à lettre. J’y réponds.
He’s thinking about our trip. He’s thinking about it.
Il pense à notre voyage. Il y pense.
You have to obey the law. You have to obey it.
Tu dois obéir à la loi. Tu dois y obéir.
Again, the order is different from English, but the meaning is the same

Question 3

Also, Y usually CANNOT replace à + verb. Here are some examples that show the best way to create this:

Answer 3

EX: I hesitate to tell the truth. I hesitate to tell it.
J’hésite à dire la vérité. J’hésite à la dire.
I continue to read Balzac. I continue to read him.
Je continue à lire Balzac. Je continue à le dire.

Question 4

Finally, Y is commonly used in expressions: 
il y a/ont: there is, there are
on y va: let’s go, 
allons-y; let’s go
vas-y: go for it

Answer 4

For the next few cards, convert the English sentence into French using “y”

Question 5

Have you lived in New York for a long time?

Translate this using “y”: Yes, I lived there a long time.

Answer 5

Oui, J’y ai habité longtemps.

Question 6

Did you really think about what I told you?
As-tu bien pensé à ce je t’ai dit?

Translate this sentence using “y”: Yes, I really thought about it.

Answer 6

Oui, j’y ai bien pensé.

Question 7

Check how many colleagues want to come to the restaurant on Saturday.
Vérifier combien de collègues veulent venir au restau samedi.

Translate this sentence using “y”: There are four who have accepted the invitation

Answer 7

Il y a quatre qui ont accepté l’invitation.

Question 8

Julie, are you going to Paris? Julie, tu vas à Paris?

Translate this sentence using “y”: Yes, I’m going to Paris this weekend for a film festival

Answer 8

Oui, j’y vais ce week-end pour un festival de cinéma.

Question 9

Note: with certain verbs, “y” replaces the preposition à when its object is an idea or thing. Ex: penser à, réflichir à(think about), s’intéresser à(to be interested in), répondre à,(to answer to), participer à(to participate in). With these verbs, à does not indicate location in or movement toward.

Bob is interested in archeology. Bob s’intéresse à l’archéologie.

Translate this sentence using “y”: He’s terribly interested in archeology.

Answer 9

Il s’y intéresse énormément.

Source: https://www.laits.utexas.edu/tex/gr/pro6.html

Question 10

Where are you going? Où allez-vous?
To Paris. À Paris.

Translate this sentence using “y”: Do you want to go there with us?

Answer 10

Tu veux y aller avec nous?

Question 11

Fiona spends her afternoons at the library. Fiona passe ses après-midi a la bibliotheque.

Translate the sentence using “y”.

Answer 11

Fiona y passe ses après-midi.

Question 12

Betty often goes to the public garden. Bette va souvent au jardin public.

Translate the sentence using “y”.

Answer 12

Bette y va souvent.

Question 13

Peter went to Lyon. Pierre désire retourner à Lyon.

Translate the sentence using “y”.

Answer 13

Pierre dèsire y retourner.

Question 14

Edward does not want to work in a McDonalds. Edouard ne veut pas travailler dans un McDonalds.

Translate the sentence using “y”.

Answer 14

Edouard ne veut pas y travailler.

Question 15

EN is a pronoun that can be used to replace de + a noun. Included are nouns preceded by: partitive or indefinite determiners: de, du, de l’, de la, des. En may be translated as meaning “some”, “any”, or “not any.” En also replace a noun introduced y a number an any expression of quantity. There is not not always an expressed equivalent of EN in English, but as with Y, it must always be used in French. En can replace “de” with these verbs: s’occuper de(to deal with), parler de(to speak of), remercier de(to thank for), revenir de(to return from), venir de(to come from).

Answer 15

Examples
Sue, do you have enough bread? Sue, tu as assez de pain?
Yes, I have enough. Oui, j’en ai assez.
Mary, do you want a little bread? No, je n’en veux pas.
Bill, how did your interview at the restaurant go? Bill, comment s’est passé ton interview au restaurant?
I just returned from it. It was disgusting. J’en reviens tout juste! C’etait dégoûtant.
Do you want to talk about it? Tu veux en parler?

Question 16

Do you want sugar in your coffee? Veux-tu du sucre dans ton café?

Translate this using “en”: Yes, I’d like some sugar.

Answer 16

Oui, j’en veux.

Question 17

Does he really hav ten cars? Est-ce qu’il a vraiment dix voitures?
Translate this sentence using “en”: Yes he has ten cars.

Answer 17

Oui, il en a dix.

Question 18

Did you want to dance with me? Est-ce que tu as envie de danser avec moi?

Translate this using en: Yes, I wanted to dance with you.

Answer 18

Oui, j’en ai envie.

Question 19

Are you eating spinach? Tu-manges des épinards?

Translate using “en”: I want some too.

Answer 19

J’en veux aussi.