The Pronoun en
The pronoun en has the following uses:
- It is the indirect-object pronoun used with things (including infinitives) introduced by the preposition de. It is also sometimes used in the same way with people (however, it is more common to use disjunctive pronouns rather than using en in the case of people).:
- « Je parle du problème. » → « J'en parle. » ("I am talking about the problem." → "I am talking about it.")
- « Je parle de Jean. » → « J'en parle. » or « Je parle de lui. » ("I am talking about Jean." → "I am talking about him.")
- It is used to replace a spatial prepositional phrase introduced by de ("from"). In this sense, it might be translated as from there:
- « Je viens de France. » → « J'en viens. » ("I come from France." → "I come from there.")
- It is the direct-object pronoun used to replace indefinite direct objects; that is, direct objects that are
- introduced by the partitive article (including the plural indefinite article)
- « J'ai bu du jus de pomme. » → « J'en ai bu. » ("I drank some apple juice." → "I drank some.")
- introduced by de when the verb is negated
- « Je n'ai pas vu de vaches. » → Je n'en ai pas vu. ("I did not see any cows." → "I did not see any.")
- introduced by a numeral (including the singular indefinite article) or a plural expression (d'autres, certains, quelques)
- « J'ai mangé une pomme. » → « J'en ai mangé une. » ("I ate an apple." → "I ate one.")
- « J'ai mangé quelques pommes. » → J'en ai mangé quelques-unes. ("I ate a number of apples." → "I ate a number of them.")
- introduced by another expression of quantity (usually an adverb + de)
- « J'ai vendu beaucoup de jus de pomme. » → « J'en ai vendu beaucoup. » ("I sold a lot of apple juice." → "I sold a lot.")
- « J'ai acheté trois kilogrammes de pommes. » → « J'en ai acheté trois kilogrammes. » ("I bought three kilograms of apples." → "I bought three kilograms.")
- introduced by the partitive article (including the plural indefinite article)
- It is used idiomatically with certain verbs, without replacing anything:
- « J'en veux à Jean. » ("I am mad at Jean.")
- « Je vais en finir avec lui. » ("I am going to finish things off with him.")
Read more about this topic: French Personal Pronouns
Famous quotes containing the word pronoun:
“Would mankind be but contented without the continual use of that little but significant pronoun “mine” or “my own,” with what luxurious delight might they revel in the property of others!... But if envy makes me sicken at the sight of everything that is excellent out of my own possession, then will the sweetest food be sharp as vinegar, and every beauty will in my depraved eyes appear as deformity.”
—Sarah Fielding (1710–1768)