A1.3 Position of the pronouns en, y, ça

The replacement pronouns en, y, and ça are used to avoid repetition and lighten the sentence.

Position of En and Y

The pronouns en and y are generally placed just before the verb conjugated in the present indicative. In a negative sentence, they are positioned after ne but before the verb.

  • J'en parle. / Je n'en parle pas. (I talk about it. / I don't talk about it.)
  • Il y va. / Il n'y va pas. (He is going there. / He is not going there.)
  • - Tu vas en France ? (Are you going to France?)
    - Oui, j'y vais. (Yes, I am going there.)

Position of Ça

The pronoun ça is often used as a subject or object and its position depends on its function in the sentence. As a subject, ça precedes the verb. As an object, it may follow the verb or a preposition.

  • J'aime ça. / Je n'aime pas ça. (I like it. / I don't like it.)
  • Ça m'intéresse. / Ça ne m'intéresse pas. (It interests me. / It does not interest me.)
  • Est-ce que tu penses à ça ? (Do you think about it?)
  • - Tu aimes le café ? (Do you like coffee?)
    - Oui, j'aime bien ça. (Yes, I like it.)
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