By the end of this lesson you'll be able to avoid repeating a noun after du, des, a number or a quantity, by using one short word.
What en replaces
En is a pronoun that replaces a noun introduced by de in some form. It's different from the preposition en that you know from en été and en France.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| en | ahn | some, any; of it, of them |
Du, de la, de l', des + noun, from the lesson on du, de la and des:
Tu veux du café ? Oui, j'en veux.
Do you want some coffee? Yes, I want some.
Il y a des pommes ? Oui, je vais en prendre.
Are there any apples? Yes, I'm going to take some.
A number, or un / une. The number stays, at the end of the sentence.
J'ai deux frères. J'en ai deux.
I have two brothers. I have two.
J'ai une sœur. J'en ai une.
I have one sister. I have one.
A quantity expression, from the lesson on expressions of quantity. The quantity stays too.
J'ai beaucoup de livres. J'en ai beaucoup.
I have a lot of books. I have a lot.
Tu as combien de frères ? J'en ai trois.
How many brothers do you have? I have three.
Verbs with de
Some verbs are followed by de, and en replaces de + a thing.
| French | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| avoir besoin de | ah-vwahr buh-ZWAN duh | to need |
| avoir envie de | ah-vwahr ahn-VEE duh | to want, to feel like |
| parler de | par-lay DUH | to talk about |
Tu as besoin de ce livre ? Oui, j'en ai besoin.
Do you need this book? Yes, I need it.
Vous parlez du film ? Oui, nous en parlons.
Are you talking about the film? Yes, we're talking about it.
Tu as envie de chocolat ? Oui, j'en ai envie.
Do you feel like some chocolate? Yes, I feel like some.
For a person, French uses de with a stressed pronoun instead: parler de lui (to talk about him), from the lesson on stressed pronouns.
Where it goes
En follows the same rules as the pronoun y. It goes before the verb. In a negative, ne becomes n'.
Je n'ai pas de pain. Je n'en ai pas.
I don't have any bread. I don't have any.
Je ne veux pas de thé. Je n'en veux pas.
I don't want any tea. I don't want any.
After aller, pouvoir and vouloir, it goes before the infinitive.
Je veux en acheter.
I want to buy some.
You won't use it in the passé composé in this lesson. That's next, in the lesson on pronouns in the passé composé.
Answering with en
En is especially useful for short answers, because it saves you from repeating the noun. Listen for du, de la, des, a number or a word of quantity in the question, then start your answer with j'en: Tu as des frères ? Oui, j'en ai un (Do you have brothers? Yes, I have one). The number you give at the end is usually all the other person wanted to know.
y or en?
The little word after the verb decides it.
| What it replaces | Pronoun | Example |
|---|---|---|
| à + a place or thing | y | Je vais à Lyon. → J'y vais. (I'm going there.) |
| de + a thing, or a quantity | en | Je parle du film. → J'en parle. (I'm talking about it.) |
| à + a person | lui / leur | Je parle à Paul. → Je lui parle. (I'm speaking to him.) |
En français
- Tu veux du pain ? (Do you want some bread?)
- Oui, j'en veux un peu. (Yes, I'd like a little.)
- Tu as des enfants ? (Do you have children?)
- Oui, j'en ai deux. Et toi ? (Yes, I have two. And you?)
- Je n'en ai pas. (I don't have any.)
What's next
Next, the lesson on pronouns in the passé composé shows where all these pronouns go in the past. You'll bring them together in the review of this unit.