il y avait
The English phrase 'there were' is translated into French as il y avait.
Il y avait is a common and versatile way to say 'there were' in French. It is used to describe a continuous state or background setting in the past.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase il y avait literally translates to 'it there had', composed of il (it), y (there) and avait (had).
Which one should you use?
While il y avait describes a continuous state or background setting in the past, il y a eu is used to describe a completed event or a specific occurrence. In literary contexts, the passé simple form il y eut is a more formal literary version of il y avait used in written narratives.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase il y avait is used for both singular and plural subjects, meaning it can translate to both 'there was' and 'there were'.
Did you know?
- In informal Québécois French, the word y can be used as a contraction for ils or elles, meaning 'they'.
- The pronoun il in il y avait is impersonal and does not refer to a specific person or thing. It functions similarly to the 'it' in the English phrase 'it is raining'.
Examples in context
- Il y avait deux gâteaux.There were two cakes.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of il y avait with plural nouns.Tatoeba #334584 by sysko, translation #430064 by witbrock
- Il y avait trois lettres.There were three letters.Tatoeba #6914949 by Aiji, translation #3823059 by CK
- Il y avait des survivants.There were survivors.Tatoeba #4898387 by sacredceltic, translation #2252627 by CK
- Il y avait beaucoup de personnes dans la salle.There were a lot of people in the room.
- On comptait vingt invités à la réception.There were twenty guests at the reception.
- Il existait de nombreuses légendes sur cet endroit.There were many legends about that place.
- Il y avait des tonnes de cadeaux sous l'arbre de Noël.There were tons of gifts under the Christmas tree.
- 165 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are talking about a party they attended.
- GabrielIl y avait beaucoup de monde à la fête ?Were there many people at the party?
- EmmaOui, il y avait trop de monde.Yes, there were too many people.
- GabrielEt il y avait de la musique ?And was there music?
- EmmaOui, il y avait un DJ.Yes, there was a DJ.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries il, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
