Video lesson “Prepositions of place. The phrase il y a in French. About the impersonal phrase il y a and the adverbial pronoun y

The French language has many features, and one of them is the impersonal construction "il y a" which is most often used to indicate where an object is located. Even if there are many objects, this phrase remains unchanged: the article indicates the plural.

Formation of the construction “Il y a”

The phrase itself consists of a personal pronoun "il", adverbs "y" and verb avoir in 3rd person singular. Verb avoir changes depending on the time in which a particular sentence is used. This phrase may or may not be translated into Russian, for example:
Il y a un livre sur la table.— There (is) a book on the table.

Dans la ville il y a un musée.— There is a museum in the city.

As follows from the examples, turnover "il y a" can stand both at the beginning of a sentence and after the adverbial adverbial place, and after it it usually stands indefinite article (un, une, des), but the definite article and numeral can also be used.

Construction “Il y a” in interrogative sentences

In interrogative sentences, as you may have guessed, two options are possible: inversion “y a-t-il...?” or turnover “est-ce qu’il y a...?”, For example: Y a-t-il un cinéma dans la ville?— Is there a cinema in the city?

Also, do not forget that questions can also be asked using intonation.

Another possible question with this phrase is a question starting with “Qu’est-ce qu’il y a...”:
Qu'est-ce qu'il y a dans la rue?- What (is) on the street?

Qu'est-ce qu'il y a dans là-bas?- What (is) there?

Negative form of the construction “Il y a”

The negative form is also formed according to the rule already familiar to you, with the help of particles “ne…pas.”

In negative sentences after the turn "il y a" the article is not used, but a preposition is used instead de: Sur la table il n’y a pas de livre.— There is no book on the table.

Turnover "il y a" does not occur very often in French speech. It really becomes necessary when the word is added to it "ans". In this case, the turnover indicates how long ago some action was performed: Il y a 20 ans, nous sommes partis.— We left 20 years ago.

As you can see, there is a turnover here "il y a" does not indicate the location of the subject, but is an important part of the sentence.

You might be asking why you can't use the construct instead "il y a" sentences with verb "etre". It all depends on the order of words in a sentence. If the subject comes first, then you need to use a verb "etre" in other cases - "il y a".

Le journal est sur la table. - Il y a un journal sur la table. — Sur la table il y a un journal.

Lesson assignments

Exercise 1. Translate using the phrase “il y a”.
1. Pen on the table. 2. What is in the city? 3. There are no flowers in the vase. 4. Is there a pharmacy here? 5. There is a museum there. 6. There are newspapers on that shelf. 7. There is water in a glass. 8. There is a problem.

Answer 1.
1. Il y a un stylo sur la table. 2. Qu’est-ce qu’il y a dans la ville? 3. Il n’y a pas de fleurs dans le vase. 4. Est-ce qu’il y a une pharmacie? 5. Il y a un musée là-bas. 6. Il y a des journaux sur cette étagère. 7. Il y a de l'eau dans le verre. 8. Il y a un problem.

Yesterday Katerina, a visitor to this site, asked a very good question about turnover il y a , why does she thanks a lot. She wanted to know what it meant y in this turnover and how such a turnover arose in the first place. I tried to answer her briefly, but then I saw that the topic was worthy of closer consideration. So today we’ll talk a little about turnover il y a and a mysterious pronoun y .

The article turned out to be long, so I’ll give the content:

Meaning

Il y a translated as "there is", "there is".

Using this phrase it is very easy to describe what I see or what is happening:

• Il y a une clef dans la poche.(Have/have) a key in my pocket.
• Dans la poche il y a une clef. There (is/is) a key in your pocket.

Literal translation

Il is a personal pronoun (literally translated "He")
y- adverbial pronoun (literally translated "there", "here")
a is a form of the verb avoir ( have)

That is, the literal translation of this expression sounds like
"He has it here".

Impersonality

But it’s not for nothing that the turnover is called impersonal, impersonal means “irrespective of any personality,” that is, in in this case it doesn’t matter to us who this “he” will be. It turns out that “someone, no matter who, has something here.”

• Il y a une clef. There is a key.

Why did we even need to drag a certain “il” here by the ears? Why couldn't they just use some verb + the word "key"?

In French A sentence must have a subject and a predicate. The order of words is strictly fixed: the subject comes first, then the predicate.

In this case il- subject, avoir- predicate, la clef- direct addition.

We see a similar impersonal form, for example, in the expression il faut — necessary(and literally “ he needs«, faut is a verb form falloir).

But with other verbs, if we want to build an impersonal form, we use the pronoun on :

• On di... They say…
• On peut... Is it possible...

Turnover il y a at different times

Because "a"- in this phrase - the most common verb. Then, naturally, we can use it in different tenses:

Construction of negatives and questions with the phrase il y a

The rules for constructing interrogative sentences and negatives are the same as for ordinary subject + predicate, taking into account that the adverbial pronoun “y” always comes before the verb:

Negatives:

• ll n’y a/avait/aura pas de
• Il n'y a pas eu de

Interrogative sentences will also be formed according to the standard scheme, either by inversion or using an auxiliary phrase:

• Y a-t-il une clef? Do you have a key?
• Est-ce qu'il y a une clef? Is there a key?
• Pourquoi est-ce qu'il y a une clef dans ma poche? Why is there a key in my pocket?
• Combien de clefs y a-t-il? How many keys are there?

We remember about the rules for forming inversion: t - added for euphony, the French don’t like it when vowels come in a row.

“Y” always comes before the verb, no matter whether we have an interrogative form or a negative one - this is its obligatory rigid position, which it cannot change.

Adverbial pronoun y

Well, a little more about y…

Y is an adverbial pronoun. The name is so strange, because in some cases y plays the role of an adverb, as in the phrase il y a, and in some cases - pronouns.

1 case - y as an adverb

By value y = là(here, there, there)

On one's own y is not used, it necessarily goes in combination with the verb and stands rigidly in front of it.

• Nous y sommes - We are here
• Nous y travaillons - We work there
• Nous y allons - We are going there
• Je les y porterai - I'll take them there

With the exception of the imperative mood:

• Entrez-y! - Go in there. // But: N’y entrez pas! - Don't go in there
• Portez-les-y! - Take them there // Ne les y portez pas! - Don't take them there

Case 2 - y as a pronoun

Pronoun y replaces inanimate noun with a pretext à (for the animate there are their own forms: lui, leur, à lui, à elle, à eux, à elles)

• Je travaille a mon roman - J'y travaille // I'm working on my novel - I'm working on it
• Elle s’adapter à sa nouvelle vie - Elle s’y adapte. // She gets used to her new life - She gets used to it.

Or a pronoun y can replace an entire sentence! In this case y= à cela

• Tu veux partir? Je n’y consens pas / Je ne consens pas à cela // Do you want to leave? I don't agree to this / I don't agree to this

As for y-adverbs, y- the pronoun always comes before the verb (in complex tenses - before the auxiliary verb).

If in addition y other personal pronouns-objects are used before the verb, then they are placed before y. That is y always comes before the verb, with one exception - the pronoun “en”. But I need to write a separate article about this, which I promise to do later :)

In the meantime, let's go back to il y a.

The phrase il y a and the verb être - what's the difference?

Instead of Il y a une clef dans la poche / Dans la poche il y a une clef we can also say this:
Une clef est dans la poche- this will also be translated as “The key (is) in the pocket.”

What's the difference? When we can make do with a verb être, and when do we need to use the revolution il y a?

It all depends on what you want to focus on.

In Russian, the sentences “The key is on the table” and “The key is on the table” have slightly different semantic accents. But while we can freely move the subject around a sentence, thereby shifting the emphasis, the French cannot do this. The subject always comes before the predicate. Therefore, “The key lies on the table” can be translated as Une clef est sur la table or Il y a une clef sur la table. And “There is a key on the table” only as “ Sur la table il y a une clef«.

And finally, a little more about the frequency of use of the phrase il y a.

Use of the phrase il y a

According to my observations, the turnover il y a used very often... in the speech of beginners learning French :) Precisely when you lack vocabulary.

It's much easier to say:

• Il y a une clef dans la poche.

How to give out the phrase:

• Une clef se trouve dans la poche.

I specifically noted when reading articles and when talking whether the French use il y a. So, they don’t use this phrase very often. The only exception is when they want to say that some time has passed:

• Il y a 20 ans, nous sommes parti. 20 years ago we left
• Il y a 20 ans que nous sommes parti (It's been) 20 years since we left

Here's the context over time il y a happens often :)

That's it :)

Update: Attention! I have come across statements on the Internet in various sources, both in Russian and English, that after turnover il y a there must be a noun with an indefinite article ( un,une,des).

Actually this is not true!

Really, usually there is an indefinite article, but the article can also be definite if the context or the noun itself requires it (see normal rules the use of the definite and indefinite articles). For example: Il y a le ciel, le soleil et la mer./ There is sky, sun and sea.

After the phrase il y a there can be nouns with a numeral, for example: Il y a deux choses à faire./ There are two things that need to be done., indefinite pronoun, For example: Il y a quelqu'un dans la maison./ There is someone in the house. You can insert introductory words like donc, For example: Il y a donc trois sortes d’aristocratie…/ There are, therefore, three types of aristocrats...

In general, as one of my friends said: “Le français est une langue très riche.”

When preparing this article, Roshchupkina’s reference book on French grammar helped me a lot. If before I thought I understood everything about en And y, then after reading Roshchupkina, I finally really understood :) All examples about the adverbial pronoun y took it from there. I'm adding it to the list of books I recommend for studying. I have a very old edition, I borrowed the book from the library. Ozone has it, 2009 edition, I hope it’s no worse than mine :)

Prepositions of place. Turn il y a in French

Prepositions are function words that express the relationship between nouns and other parts of speech in a sentence. They are not used independently. As in all languages, in French prepositions link words together in a sentence so that it is clear what is being said.

Prepositions of place, which will be discussed further, help determine the location of a person, animal, plant or any object in space. To get acquainted with French prepositions of place, you will be helped by the cat Mistigri, who loves to walk and always knows where she is.

This is the Mistigri cat.

Learn prepositions of place!

The cat entered the closet,

There she said the pretext: dans.

The cat sat UNDER the sofa,

Meowed theresous.

sur the cat told me,

Sitting ON my desk.

derrière sits behind a tree.

devant looks IN FRONT of himself.

entre BETWEEN two things.

parmi stands AMONG the people.

prèsde she meowed,

Sitting NEAR the window.

loinde has gone FAR.

Almost got lost notre chat!

Looked at the RIGHT droite,

There are only pebbles there.

ON THE LEFT the gauche meowed.

You won't go into a puddle either.

IN THE CENTER OF THE VILLAGE aumilieu

And Friend would tell me.

Cat Mistigri showed the basic prepositions of place in French. She also found a new friend. This is the French phrase il y a. In a French phrase with the phrase il y a there is always some preposition of place. Using this phrase it is very easy to describe what you see or what is happening.

For example:

You can start your phrase either with the phrase il y a, or with the adverbial adverb of place (sur la table), both of them are equivalent.

The phrase il n'y a pas is used in negative phrases when talking about something that is missing.

Please note that the negative phrase il n’y a pas is translated into one word “No” and after the negative phrase the noun has no article. It is replaced by the preposition de, which indicates complete negation.

An interrogative phrase with the phrase il y a is constructed using inversion - rearranging parts of our phrase. Y a-t-il…

It is worth noting that when you have the subject first, you should use the verb être.

Le livre est sur la table.

La rose est dans le vase.

In this case, your phrase is the answer to the question “WHERE is the object located?

The book is ON the table. Rose in a vase.

When you begin your phrase with the phrase il y a or with the adverbial adverbial place (sur la table), you are answering the question “WHAT is on the table?”

Sur la table il y a un livre. There is a BOOK on the table.

Dans le vase il y a une rose. There is a ROSE in the vase.

It is worth noting that after the phrase il y a a noun with an INDEMNITE article is always used: un, une or des, because the question concerns something that you do not yet know.

With the verb être the subject goes Definite article: le, la or les, because you are asking about something known.

Thus, prepositions of place and the phrase il y a are indispensable when we're talking about about the location of someone or something in space. Of course, memorizing prepositions in French will require some effort on your part, but don’t forget about the cat Mistigri and learn its rhyme! Bonne chance!

List of used literature:

1. French. A large reference book for schoolchildren and those entering universities / E.V. Ageeva, L.M. Belyaeva, V.G. Vladimirova et al.-M.: Bustard, 2005.-349, p.- (Large reference books for schoolchildren and applicants to universities.)
2. Le petit Larousse illustré/HER2000
3. E. M. Beregovskaya, M. Toussaint. Blue bird. A teacher's book for the French language textbook for grade 5 in general education institutions.
4. Gak, V.G. new French-Russian dictionary / V.G. Gak, K.A. Ganshina.- 10th ed., stereotype. –M.: Rus.yaz.-Media, 2005.- XVI, 1160, p.
5. E. M. Beregovskaya. Blue bird. French. 5th grade. Textbook for general education institutions.

Images used:

Verb avoir forms the most common impersonal turnover – il y a (there is, there is). It consists of a formal clause il, verb avoir in the 3rd person singular and an untranslatable pronoun y. The noun after this phrase is used with the indefinite article:

Sur la table il y a un livre et des cahiers. There is a book and notebooks on the table.

IN negative form indefinite article and singular and plural is replaced by the preposition de:

Sur la table il n’y a pas de livre / de cahiers. There is no book/notebooks on the table.

Un esquimau va à la pêche, fait un trou dans la glace et entend dans un haut-parleur:

L'esquimau va un peu plus loin et entend de nouveau:

– Il ne faut pas pêcher ici, il n’y a pas de poisson.

Alors il demande:

– Mais qui est-ce qui parle?

– Le directeur de la patinoire.

An Eskimo goes fishing, makes a hole in the ice and hears a voice from a loudspeaker: The Eskimo goes a little further and hears again:

– You can’t fish here, there are no fish.

Then he asks:

- Who is speaking?

- Director of the skating rink.

¶ Remember the words:

la glace ice

le poisson fish

entendre hear

un peu A little

il ne faut pas is not allowed

loin far

pêcher to fish

de nouveau again

ici Here

la patinoire ice rink

Question for circulation il y a put:

a) using an interrogative phrase est-ce que:

Est-ce qu’il y a un livre sur la table? Is there a book on the table?

b) using inversion (changing the places of the subject and predicate):

Y a-t-il un livre sur la table? Is there a book on the table? This is the so-called general question, to which there are only two possible answers - “yes” or “no”.

Depending on the specific issue ( What? Where? When?) appropriate question words are used ( que, où, quand), which are placed in front of the turn. It either does an inversion:

Quand y a-t-il? Où y a-t-il?

or the direct word order remains, if used est-ce que:

Quand est-ce qu’il y a? Où est-ce qu’il y a?

Please note that the interrogative phrase used independently “ Qu'est-ce qu'il y a?" means: "What is it? What's happened?".

Complicated turnover " il n’y a qu’ à… + verb infinitive” in Russian means “you just have to do something”:

Il n’y a qu’à telephoner. All you have to do is call.

¶ Remember the expressions:

Il n'y a pas de quoi. My pleasure. ( response to words of gratitude)

Il n'y a rien à faire. (often shortened to « Rien a faire.") It's nothing you can do.

To emphasize the significant difference between homogeneous objects, the phrase “ il y a des... et des...»:

Il y a des fautes et des fautes. There are different types of mistakes.

Il y a des professeurs et des professeurs. Teachers are different.

Il y a des jours et des jours. It doesn't happen day after day.

At turnover il y a In addition to the main meaning “there is”, there is also a temporary meaning corresponding to the Russian expression “that ago”. The verb in a sentence with this phrase is always in the past finished tense.

Je l'ai connu il y a 10 ans. I met him ten years ago.

Exercise 15

Put the phrase “il y a” in interrogative (two variants of the question) and negative form:

1…ce soir un train pour Paris? (Is there a train to Paris tonight?) 2. Quand... ce soir un train pour Paris? (When is the train to Paris tonight?) 3. Ce soir... train pour Paris. (There is no train to Paris this evening.)