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### 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.

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### "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**.

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### "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.

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### "Y" in Commands

In negative commands, the pronoun placement follows the standard rule: **y** is placed directly before the verb.

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However, in affirmative commands, the pronoun moves after the verb, attached with a hyphen.

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The pronoun 'y' with verbs (y)

adjective

adverb

conjunction

contraction

determiner

interjection

noun

numeral

particle

phrase

prep

preposition

pronoun

sentence

verb

Singular 'to be' and indefinite articles (je suis un...)

Singular definite articles (le, la, l')

Identifying vs. describing (c'est vs. il est)

Feminine adjective agreement (+e)

Plural pronouns and 'to be' (nous sommes, vous êtes)

Formal and informal you (tu vs. vous)

Plural nouns and indefinite articles (des... -s)

Plural definite articles (les)

Plural adjective agreement (+s)

Stressed pronouns (moi, toi, lui)

The verb "to have" singular (j'ai, tu as, il a)

The verb "to have" plural (nous avons, vous avez, ils ont)

There is / there are (il y a)

Basic verbal negation (ne... pas)

Negating "there is" (il n'y a pas de)

Regular -er verbs singular (je parle, tu parles, il parle)

Regular -er verbs plural (nous parlons, vous parlez, ils parlent)

The verb "to be called" (s'appeler)

Yes/no questions with intonation (Tu parles ?)

Yes/no questions with "Est-ce que" (Est-ce que tu parles ?)

Informal questions (qui, que, quoi)

Standard questions (est-ce que)

Singular possessives (mon, ton, son)

Plural possessives (notre, votre, leur)

Demonstrative adjectives (ce, cet, cette, ces)

Adjective placement

Numbers 1 to 20

Numbers 21 to 100

Age and physical states (avoir)

The verb to go (aller)

The preposition to/at (à, au, aux)

Question word for location (où)

Prepositions for cities and countries (à, en, au, aux)

The verb to come (venir)

The preposition from/of (de, du, des)

Question word for origin (d'où)

The verb to do/make (faire)

Days of the week (lundi, mardi)

Telling time (il est... heure)

Question words for time (quand, à quelle heure)

The verb to take or have (prendre)

The verb to drink (boire)

Partitive articles (du, de la, de l')

Zero quantity (pas de)

Expressions of quantity (un peu de, beaucoup de)

Asking how much or how many (combien, combien de)

Very vs. a lot (très, beaucoup)

The verb to want (vouloir)

Polite requests (je voudrais)

The verb to be able to (pouvoir)

Obligation (devoir)

General obligation (il faut)

Why and because (pourquoi, parce que)

Expressing purpose (pour)

Reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nous, vous)

Daily routine verbs (se lever, s'habiller)

Adverbs of frequency (parfois, rarement)

Never (ne... jamais)

Regular -ir verbs (choisir, finir)

Regular -re verbs (attendre, répondre)

Irregular -ir verbs (sortir, partir, dormir)

Informal 'we' (on)

The imperative mood

Direct object pronouns (le, la, les, l')

The near future (aller + infinitive)

The recent past (venir de + infinitive)

The passé composé with avoir

Irregular past participles (eu, été, fait, pris, vu)

The passé composé with être

The negative passé composé (ne ... pas)

Saying goodbye

Please, sorry and thank you

Which / what (quel)

The indefinite adjective (tout, tous)

Irregular feminine adjectives (-euse, -ve)

Double consonant adjectives (-enne, -ette)

Feminine adjective endings (-ère, -trice)

Irregular plurals (-x)

Plurals ending in -al (-aux)

Present tense stem changes (e to è)

Accent stem changes (é to è)

Double consonant verbs (appeler, jeter)

Verbs ending in -yer (payer, envoyer)

Irregular communication verbs (dire, lire)

Irregular action verbs (écrire, mettre)

Question	Answer
to solve	résoudre
the riddle (f)	l'énigme
You must solve this riddle, so think about it!	Vous devez résoudre cette énigme, alors pensez-y !
Read the question before answering it.	Lis la question avant d'y répondre.
the safe	le coffre
I see the safe, but I am not interested in it.	Je vois le coffre, mais je ne m'y intéresse pas.
to give up on	renoncer à
I cannot open the safe, I give up on it.	Je ne peux pas ouvrir le coffre, j'y renonce.
the mechanism	le mécanisme
Do not give up on it until you understand the mechanism!	N'y renonce pas jusqu'à ce que tu comprennes le mécanisme !
the padlock	le cadenas
Here is the safe on which the padlock is stuck.	Voici le coffre sur lequel le cadenas est bloqué.
the code	le code
Have you found the code for this padlock?	Avez-vous trouvé le code de ce cadenas ?
the symbol	le symbole
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.
the lock	la serrure
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.
Why pay attention to it instead of solving the riddles?	Pourquoi y faire attention au lieu de résoudre les énigmes ?
the timer	le chronomètre
Do not open the padlock before checking the timer!	N'ouvre pas le cadenas avant de vérifier le chronomètre !
I look at the timer and the lock, and I am interested in them.	Je regarde le chronomètre et la serrure, et je m'y intéresse.
The mechanism is difficult, but we are not giving up on it.	Le mécanisme est difficile, mais nous n'y renonçons pas.