Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| là | /la/ /la/ (Quebec) |
| là-bas | /la.ba/ /la.bɑ/ |
| y | /i.ɡʁɛk/ (letter, name) /i/ |
The term "there" is used to indicate a position or location. While là refers to a location that is relatively close or has just been mentioned, là-bas is used for locations that are significantly far away or out of sight. In more formal settings, you might use à cet endroit to refer to a specific place or location. For informal situations, là-dedans is used specifically to mean "there" when referring to a place inside something and là-dessus can be used when referring to a topic or matter.
Which one should you use?
là is typically used for a location that is relatively close or has just been mentioned, whereas là-bas implies a greater distance and is equivalent to "over there".
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When "there" refers to a location that has already been mentioned in a conversation, use the unstressed pronoun y before the verb instead of the adverb là. Additionally, the expression il y a uses y as an expletive subject to mean "there is".
How do you pronounce it?
/la/
When do people say it?
The phrase Ça y est is a common idiomatic expression used to mean "There you go" or "It's finished" once a task is completed. Additionally, both là and voilà can be used to express completion.
Did you know?
- The letter y in French actually has its roots in the Latin word hīc, which means 'here' rather than 'there'.
- The letter y in French is actually called i grec, which means 'Greek i', because it refers to the letter upsilon (Υ) from the Greek alphabet.
- The word voilà is a contraction of 'vois là', which literally translates to 'see there'.
Examples in context
- Tu y es !There you are.This sentence shows the use of y to mean "there" in a declarative sense.Tatoeba #2221743 by sacredceltic, translation #50990 by CK
- Tu y es ?Are you there?This sentence uses y to ask if someone is "there".Tatoeba #12200702 by felix63, translation #30970 by CK
- Ça y est !There you are!This sentence uses the idiom y to mean "There you go" or "It's done".Tatoeba #2161714 by sacredceltic, translation #2221057 by Hybrid
- Je vais à la bibliothèque là-bas.I am going to the library there.
- Je pars en vacances là-bas.I am going on vacation there.
- La clé est à cet endroit.The key is there.
- La voiture est garée à cet endroit.The car is parked there.
- Les travaux seront effectués sur place.The work will be done there.
- Allez voir sur place si les informations sont exactes.Go and check there if the information is correct.
- J'aimerais vivre là quand je serai plus âgé.I would like to live there when I am older.
- Laisse-le là-dedans.Leave it there inside.
- Je l'ai laissé là-dedans.I left it in there.
- Il y a beaucoup à dire là-dessus.There is a lot to say about that.
- 6741 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are looking for a book in a bookstore.
- ManonEst-ce que le livre est là ?Is the book there?
- HugoOui, il est là sur l'étagère.Yes, it is there on the shelf.
- ManonJe le vois enfin !I finally see it!
- HugoSuper, prends-le.Great, take it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “there” translations and entries là, là-bas, y, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries là, là-bas, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
