The French adverbial pronoun y is so tiny that one might think its role in a sentence is not very important, but in fact quite the opposite is true. It is extremely important in French.
Y refers to a previously mentioned or implied place; it is normally translated by "there" in English. Y usually replaces a prepositional phrase beginning with something like à, chez, or dans.
Are you going to the bank today? No, I'm going (there) tomorrow.
Tu vas à la banque aujourd'hui ? Non, j'y vais demain.
We're going to the store. Do you want to go (there)?
Nous allons au magasin. Tu veux y aller ?
He was at Jean's house. He was there.
Il était chez Jean. Il y était.
Note that "there" can often be omitted in English, but y can never be omitted in French. Je vais (I'm going) is not a complete sentence in French; if you don't follow the verb with a place, you have to say J'y vais.
Y can also replace à + a noun that is not a person,* such as with verbs that need à. Note that in French, you must include either à + something or its replacement y, even though the equivalent may be optional in English. You cannot replace the noun with an object pronoun.
I'm responding to a letter. I'm responding (to it).
Je réponds à une lettre. J'y réponds.
Wrong: Je réponds, Je la réponds, Je lui réponds.
He's thinking about our trip. He's thinking about it.
Il pense à notre voyage. Il y pense.
Wrong: Il pense, Il le pense, Il lui pense.
You have to obey the law. You have to obey it.
Tu dois obéir à la loi. Tu dois y obéir.
Wrong: Tu dois obéir, Tu dois l'obéir, Tu dois lui obéir.
Yes, I attended the meeting. Yes, I attended (it).
Oui, j'ai assisté à la réunion. Oui, j'y ai assisté.
Wrong: Oui, j'ai assisté, je l'ai assisté, je lui ai assisté.
I'm going to think about your proposal. I'm going to think about it.
Je vais réfléchir à votre proposition. Je vais y réfléchir.
Wrong: Je vais réfléchir, Je vais la réfléchir, Je vais lui réfléchir.
*In most cases, à + person may only be replaced by an indirect object. However, in the case of verbs that don't allow preceding indirect object pronouns, you can use y:
Pay attention to him.
Fais attention à lui, Fais-y attention.
Wrong: Fais-lui attention.
Note that y usually cannot replace à + verb.
I hesitate to tell the truth. I hesitate to tell it.
J'hésite à dire la vérité. J'hésite à la dire.
Wrong: J'y hésite.
I continue to read Balzac. I continue to read him.
Je continue à lire Balzac. Je continue à le lire.
Wrong: J'y continue.
Y is also found in the expressions il y a, on y va, and allons-y.
Test on y and en
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- Y - French Adverbial Pronoun - Pronom adverbial