Replacing Objects of "à" with "y"
In French, many verbs and expressions are followed by the preposition à, such as penser à (to think about), répondre à (to answer), or renoncer à (to give up on).
To replace an inanimate object (a thing, an idea, or a concept) introduced by à, use the pronoun y. Depending on the verb, y can translate to "to it," "about it," or "on it" in English. Like most pronouns in French, y is placed immediately before the conjugated verb.
| I cannot open the safe, I give up on it. | Je ne peux pas ouvrir le coffre, j'y renonce. |
| The code is a symbol, but we do not pay attention to it. | Le code est un symbole, mais nous n'y faisons pas attention. |
"Y" with Reflexive Verbs
Some reflexive verbs also take à, like s'intéresser à (to be interested in).
When using y with a reflexive verb, place it right after the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) and right before the verb. For example, je me becomes je m'y.
| I see the safe, but I am not interested in it. | Je vois le coffre, mais je ne m'y intéresse pas. |
"Y" with Infinitives
If a sentence has a conjugated verb or a preposition followed by an infinitive, the pronoun belongs to the infinitive verb. In this case, y is placed directly before the infinitive.
| Read the question before answering it. | Lis la question avant d'y répondre. |
| We must pay attention to it because the lock has a strange symbol. | Nous devons y faire attention parce que la serrure a un symbole bizarre. |
"Y" in Commands
In negative commands, the pronoun placement follows the standard rule: y is placed directly before the verb.
| Do not give up on it until you understand the mechanism! | N'y renonce pas jusqu'à ce que tu comprennes le mécanisme ! |
However, in affirmative commands, the pronoun moves after the verb, attached with a hyphen.
| You must solve this riddle, so think about it! | Vous devez résoudre cette énigme, alors pensez-y ! |