French · Chapter 14 · Lesson 8 · Grammar primer
The pronouns y and en
y replaces a + a thing or place (j'y vais, j'y pense); en replaces de + a thing, partitives and quantities (j'en veux, j'en ai trois). Position and the imperative attachment (vas-y, prends-en).
The short version
À triggers y, de triggers en
Y swallows à plus a thing or a place; en swallows de plus a thing, along with every partitive and quantity. Match the pronoun to the preposition the verb takes: penser à gives j'y pense, parler de gives j'en parle. Neither works for a person, where you need je pense à lui.
J'y pense souvent.
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