CEFR A2
What you will learn
- Replace de-complements and quantities with en while keeping the stated quantity.
- Use y for places and non-person à-complements, keeping it distinct from lui/leur and stressed pronouns.
Before you start
- Have studied “Le, la, les, lui or leur: object and position”.
The idea
“En” picks up a “de” and “y” picks up an “à”, and both go in front of the verb so that you do not repeat what has already been said.
“En” replaces a group beginning with “de”, and also quantities. “Tu veux du café ? — Oui, j'en veux.” “Il parle de son voyage ? — Il en parle sans arrêt.”
With numbers there is a detail that catches everyone out: the figure stays. “J'ai deux frères” becomes “j'en ai deux”, not “j'ai deux” on its own. French will not leave a bare number standing there.
“Y” replaces a group beginning with “à”, and by extension places. “Je vais à Paris — j'y vais demain.” “Elle pense à son travail — elle y pense tout le temps.” It works the same for “dans”, “sur” and “chez” when they mean a place: “j'y suis allé”.
Both go before the verb governing the complement. In the core patterns in this lesson, y does not replace a person: use lui/leur or a stressed pronoun with à + person, and normally keep a stressed pronoun with de + person.
Uses of en and y
| groupe repris | pronom | modèle |
|---|---|---|
| de + chose | en | J'en parle. |
| quantité | en + quantité conservée | J'en ai deux. |
| à + chose | y | J'y pense. |
| lieu | y | J'y vais. |
| à + personne | lui / leur / pronom tonique | Je lui parle. / Je pense à elle. |
How it sounds
- Tu as des frères ? — Oui, j'en ai deux.The quantity stays; what disappears is “de frères”.
- Je vais à Paris. — J'y vais demain.“À Paris” is a place, so “y” picks it up.
- Il parle de son voyage sans arrêt. — Il en parle sans arrêt.“Parler de” takes “de”, so “en” is its pronoun.
- Je pense à mon frère. — Je pense à lui.With a person you do not use “y”: you use the stressed pronoun.
Check objective 1Another case
A proposed answer is “y” for this case: “Tu as des frères ? — Oui, j'y ai deux.”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “les” for this case: “Tu as des frères ? — Oui, j'les ai deux.”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: en — Quantity: “en”, and the number stays behind.
Quantity: “en”, and the number stays behind.
Answer: en — Quantity: “en”, and the number stays behind.
Quantity: “en”, and the number stays behind.
Check objective 2Another case
A proposed answer is “en” for this case: “Tu vas à Paris ? — Oui, j'en vais demain.”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “le” for this case: “Tu vas à Paris ? — Oui, j'le vais demain.”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: y — A place introduced by “à”: “y” is the one.
A place introduced by “à”: “y” is the one.
Answer: y — A place introduced by “à”: “y” is the one.
A place introduced by “à”: “y” is the one.
When it doesn't hold
What breaks the rule, said out loud. Hiding it is what makes you feel cheated in the exam.
- The “y” in “il y a” is fossilised: it replaces nothing, and the expression never changes shape, not even in the plural.Il y a trois livres sur la table.
- Some verbs carry “en” without it replacing anything: “s'en aller”, “en vouloir à quelqu'un”. They are learnt whole.Je m'en vais.
What your own language pushes you to say
Wrong Tu as des frères ? — Oui, j'ai deux.
Right Tu as des frères ? — Oui, j'en ai deux.
English simply drops it: “Yes, I have two” is a complete answer. So the mistake is a missing word rather than a wrong one, and rereading will not reveal it. A rule that works: if you answer with a number or an amount, there has to be an “en” in front of the verb.
Challenge: apply both rules
Solve both cases and justify each choice: 1) Una propuesta responde «y» a este caso: «Tu as des frères ? — Oui, j'y ai deux.». Elige la única forma válida. 2) Una propuesta responde «en» a este caso: «Tu vas à Paris ? — Oui, j'en vais demain.». Elige la única forma válida.
Answer available without interaction
- Replace de-complements and quantities with en while keeping the stated quantity.
- Use y for places and non-person à-complements, keeping it distinct from lui/leur and stressed pronouns.
Answer: en · y
Quantity: “en”, and the number stays behind. A place introduced by “à”: “y” is the one.
Curriculum alignment and sources
- CEFR A2 · routine tasks and simple exchanges of direct information. · Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Companion Volume
- French-specific reference descriptions used to cross-check A2 forms; they are not a universal school curriculum. · Reference Level Descriptions · French
- MCER como referencia; sin asignación estatal A2.1/A2.2 por curso. La máscara 3.º/4.º ESO del catálogo es editorial. · Real Decreto 217/2022, currículo básico de ESO
- El dossier validado acredita itinerarios distintos. Este paquete no publica una equivalencia universal A2→ano. · Organização curricular · Francês · iniciação e continuação
- La fuente reutilizada fija A1 al final de la secundaria de primer grado para esta materia. No se atribuye A2 a un curso italiano. · Decreto 9 dicembre 2025, n. 221 · nuove Indicazioni nazionali
Continue along this corridor
Practise this: The pronouns en and yLe, la, les, lui or leur: object and positionImparfait or passé composé: setting, habit and eventFuture and conditional: stems, endings and usesQui, que, où or dont: find the gapThe verb and its preposition: à, de or none