In this French we will discuss the idiom “il y a“ which means “there is/there are” in French.
In this lesson you will learn about:
- how il y a is used in French,
- how il y a is used in sentences in French,
- how you can quiz yourself on il y a,
- how to practice with flashcards for il y a
- how and why you should use the courses of Language Atlas to learn French
Please refer to the French A1 Curriculum to get a better overview of French grammar, if you are curious about this fits in French A1.
By the end of the lesson you will know all about il y a!
Table of Contents
Explanation of il y a
If you want to say “there is” or “there are” in French, then you have to use the idiom
- il y a = there is / there are
It does not matter if the object that you are referring to is singular or plural.
This idiom will be used in either case.
Il y a un moustique dans ma chambre.
There is a mosquito in my room.
Il y a des fleurs dans mon jardin.
There are flowers in my garden.
Il y a deux lieux que je voudrais voir.
There are two place that I would like to see.
Il y a une grippe.
There is a flu.
You may look at the first word and think of the subject pronoun “il” and think that this somehow means that this only applies to masculine nouns.
Please note that this is not true, this idiom applies to everything in French.
Il y a beaucoup de femmes ici.
There are a lot of women here.
This is a very useful idiom, and one that you will encounter often in your daily life, so it’s important to know it well.
Example Sentences Using il y a
The final section of this lesson on il y a is about seeing it in action, so you can improve your understanding on how il y a is used in practice. Here are some example sentences that show how il y a is used French.
Il y a un moustique dans ma chambre.
There is a mosquito in my room.
Il y a des fleurs dans mon jardin.
There are flowers in my garden.
Il y a une grippe.
There is a flu.
Il y a beaucoup de femmes ici.
There are a lot of women here.
Il y a deux lieux que je voudrais voir.
There are two place that I would like to see.
Quiz Yourself on Il y a
At the end of every lesson you can do a small quiz.
You will see the sentences of the previous chapter. It is up to you to give the correct answer.
You will either need to fill in the blanks, choose the correct multiple choice option, or both.
Once you are done the correct answer will be shown.
You can redo the quiz as many times as you want.
How to Practice With Flashcards for This Lesson
Using flashcards is an absolute necessity when it comes to learning a language!
It is the best way to memorize what you learn, you can personalize your progression because it adapts to your actions, and all flashcards have audio to improve your hearing and pronunciation.
Please read our article on how to learn a new language for more information on flashcards and the best way to learn a new language.
There are two ways to practice with Flashcards for this lesson.
- Anki
- The Flashcards in our Courses
Anki is a free software with which you can create and practice flashcards.
After you have downloaded Anki for free, you can get our French A1 Anki Deck.
This Anki Deck contains 3,764 flashcards with which you can practice absolutely everything for French A1.
All the flashcards have text, images, explanations, and audio.
You can also use our courses that have flashcards integrated alongside lessons with audio, quizzes and much more!
However, I am sure you are wondering, what are your courses, and why should I take them?
The Courses of Language Atlas
Have you ever wondered what the best way is to learn a new language?
I have been learning languages for over 20+ years and I was always frustrated with books, courses, and classes that I had tried.
It never really seemed to work for me.
I wanted to learn a language in the most effective and efficient way, and there was nothing out there for me.
So I thought, “why not make something myself?“.
Using my experience and by doing research I created Language Atlas, a platform where people can learn French and Spanish in the most effective and efficient way.
I created free lessons and quizzes so that there would always be a easy and accessible way for people to learn or brush up on their language skills.
However, I also created courses that are much more comprehensive and in-depth.
These courses are easy to follow, clear, and allow you to become fluent in the most effective and efficient way.
The courses of Language Atlas have:
- 800+ Lessons with audio
- 800+ Quizzes
- 10,000 Flashcards with explanations, images, and audio
- A gamified way of learning a new language
- A vibrant community (including support from me)
You can register for free and try the French A0/A1 and Spanish A0/A1 Courses for free!
This includes over 60 lessons and quizzes, 500 flashcards that adapt to how you learn, and access to the community (including support from me).
All you have to do is study 30 minutes a day and you will be fluent in no time!
Don’t miss out – register for free and start learning!
