Learn Hardcore French: Regarde en dessous de la table, le chat s'y cache. - Look underneath the table; the cat is hiding there.

In the affirmative imperative with tu, -ER verbs drop the final -s: Parle !, Regarde !. The -s returns only when the verb is immediately followed by the pronoun y or en for euphony (e.g., Vas-y, Parles-en). Here, en in en dessous de is not a pronoun; it’s part of the fixed expression, so you keep Regarde without -s.

When would I use Regardez instead of Regarde?

Use Regardez when addressing:

more than one person (plural), or
one person formally (vous). Use Regarde with someone you’d address as tu (singular, informal).

What’s the difference between sous la table and en dessous de la table? Which sounds more natural?

Both can mean “under the table.”

Sous la table is the most direct, everyday way to say “under the table.”
En dessous de la table also means “under/beneath,” sometimes with a nuance of “below a reference level.”
In this context (a cat hiding under a table), sous la table is the simplest and most idiomatic option.

Could I say au-dessous de la table?

You could, but it sounds more formal/technical and often implies “below” on a vertical scale without contact. For a cat hiding under a table, sous la table or en dessous de la table is more natural in everyday speech.

What exactly does s’y stand for?

It’s two pronouns: se (reflexive) + y (locative “there”).

se cacher = “to hide (oneself).”
y replaces a place previously mentioned (here, “under the table”).
So le chat s’y cache = “the cat is hiding there.”

Why is it s’y and not y s’? What’s the pronoun order?

French clitic pronouns before the verb follow this fixed order:
1) me, te, se, nous, vous
2) le, la, les
3) lui, leur
4) y
5) en
So reflexive se must come before y, giving s’y. Example in the negative: Le chat ne s’y cache pas.

Why not use en instead of y here (e.g., le chat s’en cache)?

Because y refers to a place (“there”), while en replaces “de + thing/amount.”

Le chat s’y cache = “The cat is hiding there.”
S’en cacher means “to hide something,” as in the idiom ne pas s’en cacher (“not to hide it; to be open about it”). It does not mean “to hide there.”

Can I just say Le chat se cache sous la table and drop y?

Yes. You can either avoid repetition by using y (Le chat s’y cache) or restate the place (Le chat se cache sous la table). Both are correct.

How would I make it negative? (e.g., “The cat isn’t hiding there” and “Don’t look under the table.”)

Statement: Le chat ne s’y cache pas.
Imperative: Ne regarde pas en dessous de la table.
With pronouns, the negative goes around them and the verb: Ne t’y cache pas.

Is the comma between the two clauses good French?

It’s acceptable, but many writers prefer a colon or a full stop for clarity:

Regarde en dessous de la table : le chat s’y cache.
Regarde en dessous de la table. Le chat s’y cache.

How is se cacher different from cacher?

cacher = “to hide (something/someone),” transitive: Il cache le jouet.
se cacher = “to hide (oneself),” reflexive: Le chat se cache.
In your sentence, the cat hides itself, so se cacher is required.

What’s the difference between y, là, and là-bas here?

y is a clitic pronoun meaning “there,” used to avoid repeating a place already mentioned: Le chat s’y cache.
là is a deictic adverb (“there/here”), often used to point: Le chat se cache là.
là-bas is “over there” (farther away): Le chat se cache là-bas.
All can be correct; y is best when the place has just been named.

Can I say dessous la table or le dessous de la table?

Le dessous de la table (with article) is a noun phrase meaning “the underside of the table.”
Dessous la table (as a preposition) is non-standard in careful French; prefer sous la table or en dessous de la table.
Dessous alone works as an adverb: Le chat est dessous.

Any quick pronunciation tips for this sentence?

s’y sounds like English “see.”
en in en dessous is a nasal vowel (like “on” in French): don’t pronounce a separate n.
dessous is roughly “duh-SOO”; the final -s is silent.
In everyday speech, the final -e in Regarde is very light or silent before a vowel sound: it may sound like “regard’ en…”