il y aura
The English phrase 'there will be' is translated into French as il y aura.
This phrase is used to state that something will exist or happen in the future.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase il y aura is a combination of the impersonal pronoun il (it), the adverb y (there) and the future tense of the verb avoir (to have), literally translating to 'it there will have'.
Which one should you use?
While il y aura is the standard future tense, in casual spoken French, speakers often use the near future il va y avoir to mean 'there is going to be'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Switzerland and Belgium, people often use il va avoir in informal speech instead of il va y avoir. In Québec (Canada), the variation il va y avoir du monde is used to mean 'there will be people'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is impersonal and does not change its form based on whether the thing that will exist is singular or plural.
Did you know?
- The word y is historically linked to the Greek letter upsilon, which is why the letter is called i grec in French.
- While il y aura uses the verb avoir meaning 'to have', the Latin ancestor of this construction used the verb 'to be'.
- In very informal spoken French, the y in il y aura can sometimes merge with the pronoun il to create a shortened sound.
Examples in context
- Il y aura un gâteau.There will be a cake.This sentence shows how to use il y aura with a singular noun.Tatoeba #10074757 by lbdx, translation #3015886 by CM
- Il y aura des conséquences.There will be consequences.This sentence shows how to use il y aura with a plural noun.Tatoeba #9687568 by lbdx, translation #2287014 by CK
- Il y aura d'autres occasions.There will be other opportunities.Tatoeba #7119918 by Micsmithel, translation #3821746 by CK
- Il y aura une fêteThere will be a party
- Demain, il y aura une réunionTomorrow, there will be a meeting
- Il va y avoir un concert ce soirThere will be a concert tonight
- Il y aura une conférence demain matin.There will be a conference tomorrow morning.
- Il va y avoir de la pluie cet après-midi.There is going to be rain this afternoon.
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Manon are planning a weekend trip.
- GabrielEst-ce qu'il y aura du vent en montagne ?Will there be wind in the mountains?
- ManonOui, il y aura du vent l'après-midi.Yes, there will be wind in the afternoon.
- GabrielJe vais apporter un manteau chaud.I will bring a warm coat.
- ManonC'est une bonne idée, Gabriel.That is a good idea, Gabriel.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aura, il, y, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
