En functions as an object pronoun.
It is used with expressions of quanity that contain de (beaucoup de, peu de, assez de, etc.):
Nous n'avons pas assez de crayons. Nous n'en avons pas
assez.
(We do not have enough pencils. We do not have enough of them.)
Replaces "de, d', du, de la, de l', or des + thing"
Avez-vous besoin de votre
chapeau? (Do you need your hat?)
Oui, j'en ai besoin. (Yes, I need it.)
Functions as a partitive (some or any) when it replaces "the partitive article + noun":
J'ai d'argent; en
avez-vous?
(I have money; do you [have it]?)
Replaces "de + the name of a place".
Je suis revenu de New York. J'en
suis revenu.
(I returned from New York. I returned from there.)
There are also a variety of idiomatic expressions that employ en.
En is always expressed in French even though it may not have any English equivalent:
As-tu assez d'argent? Oui, j'en ai assez.
(Do you have enough money? Yes, I do.)
There is no agreement of the past participle with en:
Ma
grand-mère m'a raconté de belles histoires. Elle m'en a
raconté.
(My grandmother told me nice stories. She told me some.)
En precedes voici and voilà.
Avez-vous des bonbons? En
voilà!
(Do you have any candy? Here is some.)
Y:
The object pronoun y always refers to previously mentioned things or places.
It generally replaces à + noun, but it can also replace other prepositions (other than de) such as chez (at), dans (in), en (in), sous (under) or sur (on) + noun. It commonly means to it/them, in it/them, etc.
Nos amis sont chez nous. Ils y
sont.
(Our friends are at our house. They are there/in it.)
Y may also replace à + clause :
Nous devons penser à ce que nous devons faire. Nous
devons y penser.
(We must think about what we need to do. We must think about it.)
Y can also act as an adverb when meaning "there", but its placement in the sentence follows the rules of an object pronoun.
Mon livre est-il sur la table? Oui, il
y est.
(Is my book on the table? Yes, it's there.)
Voulez-vous
venir ici? Oui, j'y viens.
(Would you like to come here? Yes, I am coming [there].)
See Also: