In this comparative grammar lesson of Romance languages, we study the Pronouns “ci” & “ne” in Italian and “y” & “en” in French. The pronouns “ci” and “ne” in Italian and the pronouns “y” and “en” in French are a constant source of confusion to many learners of these two languages. We will look at the most common uses of these pronominal particles in different contexts.
Table of Contents
- Uses of “Ci” in Italian and “Y” in French
- Uses of “Ne” in Italian and “En” in French
- Level V – Advanced
Uses of “Ci” in Italian and “Y” in French
Here we discuss some important uses of the pronouns “ci” in Italian and “y” in French:
Meaning “there” when referring to a place
– In Italian:
For example, in the sentence: “Vado in quella caffetteria tutte le mattine” (I go to that coffee shop every morning), we can eliminate “in quella caffetteria” (to that coffee shop) and say: “Ci vado tutte le mattine” (I go there every morning).
Notice that “ci” is placed before the verb. Here are more examples:
| Vado sempre al mare d’estate. Ci vado sempre d’estate. | I always go to the beach in summer. I always go there in summer. |
| Vivremo a Napoli per due anni. Ci vivremo per due anni. | We will live in Naples for two years. We will live there for two years. |
| Sei stato a Roma? Ci sei stato? | Have you been to Rome? Have you been there? |
– In French:
For example, in the sentence: “Je vais à ce café tous les matins” (I go to that coffee shop every morning), we can eliminate “à ce café” (to that coffee shop) and say: “J’y vais tous les matins” (I go there every morning).
Notice that “y” is placed before the verb. Here are more examples:
| Je vais toujours à la plage en été. J’y vais toujours en été. | I always go to the beach in summer. I always go there in summer. |
| Nous habiterons à Paris pendant deux ans. Nous y habiterons pendant deux ans. | We will live in Paris for two years. We will live there for two years. |
| Êtes-vous allé à Rome? Y êtes-vous allé? | Have you been to Rome? Have you been there? |
Use with some verbs that are usually followed by a preposition
– In Italian:
Some verbs are usually followed by the preposition “a,” “in,” or “su,” such as: “pensare a” (to think about), “credere in” (to believe in), “contare su” (to count on), etc.
For example, in the sentence “Stai pensando al lavoro?” (Are you thinking about work?), we can replace “al lavoro” (about work) with “ci” and place it before the verb, that is, “Ci stai pensando?” (Are you thinking about it?). Notice that “ci” here is placed before the verb and is translated as “about it.”
Here are some more examples:
| Penserò a questo problema. Ci penserò. | I will think about that problem. I will think about it. |
| Puoi contare sul loro aiuto. Ci puoi contare. | You can count on their help. You can count on it. |
| Credo in ciò di cui è capace. Ci credo. | I believe in what he is capable of. I believe in it. |
Notice that “ci” is always placed before the verb, unless the verb is in the infinitive or the imperative. For example:
| È importante pensare al futuro. È importante pensarci. | It is important to think about the future. It is important to think about it. |
| Non contare sul loro aiuto. Non contarci. | Don’t count on their help. Don’t count on it. |
| Pensa all’offerta. Pensaci. | Think about the offer. Think about it. |
– In French:
Some verbs are usually followed by the preposition “à,” “en,” or “sur,” such as: “penser à” (to think about), “croire en” (to believe in), “compter sur” (to count on), etc. In this case, the pronoun “y” can replace the preposition and the following noun.
For example, in the sentence “Vous pensez au travail?” (Are you thinking about work?), we can replace “au travail” (about work) with “y” before the verb, that is, “Vous y pensez?” (Are you thinking about it?).
Notice that “y” here is placed before the verb and is translated as “about it.” The inanimate noun (thing or idea) that “y” replaces is considered an indirect object because it is preceded by a preposition.
Here are some more examples:
| Je vais penser à ce problème. Je vais y penser. | I will think about that problem. I will think about it. |
| Vous pouvez compter sur leur aide. Vous pouvez y compter. | You can count on their help. You can count on it. |
| Je crois en ce dont il est capable. J’y crois. | I believe in what he is capable of. I believe in it. |
Notice that “y” is always placed before the verb. The only exception is if the verb is in the affirmative imperative. In this case, the “y” is attached to the end of the verb. For example:
| Pensez à l’offre. Pensez-y. | Think about the offer. Think about it. |
| Ne comptez pas sur leur aide. N’y comptez pas. | Don’t count on their help. Don’t count on it. |
The pronouns “ci” and “y” are used in expressions meaning “there is/are …”
– In Italian:
The pronoun “ci” is used in the expressions “c’è” (there is) and “ci sono” (there are), as we have encountered in Level III, Lesson 7. For example:
| C’è solo un modo per risolvere questo problema. | There is only one way to solve this problem. |
| Ci sono molti modi per risolvere questo problema. | There are many ways to solve this problem. |
| Non c’è nessuno qui. | There is no one here. |
| Non ci sono abbastanza sedie nella stanza. | There aren’t enough chairs in the room. |
– In French:
The pronoun “y” is used in the expression “il y a” which can mean “there is/are.” For example:
| Il y a une façon de résoudre ce problème. | There is a way to solve this problem. |
| Il y a beaucoup de monde ici. | There are many people here. |
| Il n’y a personne ici. | There is no one here. |
| Il n’y a pas assez de chaises dans la salle. | There aren’t enough chairs in the room. |
The expression “il y a” in French has the equivalent meaning of “ago” when referring to events that happened in the past, for example:
| Le colis est arrivé il y a 30 minutes. | The package arrived 30 minutes ago. |
| Le problème a commencé il y a deux ans. | The problem started two years ago. |
| Il y a deux heures qu’ils ont appelé. | They called two hours ago. |
| J’ai déménagé ici il y a 3 mois. | I moved here 3 months ago. |
Uses of “Ne” in Italian and “En” in French
The pronouns “ne” in Italian and “en” in French often precede the verb unless the verb is in the infinitive or the imperative. The pronouns “ne” and “en” have the following uses:
Use with some verbs and expressions that are followed by a preposition
– In Italian:
Some verbs and expressions that are followed by the preposition. “di,” such as: “parlare di” (to talk about), “avere bisogno di” (to need), “felice di” (happy about), “sicuro di” (sure of), etc. In these expressions, “ne” can replace “of it” or “about it.”
For example, in the sentence “Sono felice del risultato” (I am happy about the result), we can replace “del risultato” (about the result) with “ne” and place it before the verb, that is, “Ne sono felice” (I am happy about it). Notice that “ne” here is placed before the verb and is translated as “about it.”
Here are some more examples:
| Sta parlando del nuovo progetto. Ne sta parlando. | He is talking about the new project. He is talking about it. |
| Ho bisogno di soldi per uscire. Ne ho bisogno per uscire. | I need the money to go out. I need it to go out. |
| Sei sicuro della risposta? Ne sei sicuro? | Are you sure of the answer? Are you sure of it? |
There are also some idiomatic expressions that use the pronoun “ne,” even though it may sometimes seem redundant. For example:
| Ne vale la pena. | It is worth it. |
| Chi se ne importa di …? | Who cares about …? |
| Non me ne importa niente. | I don’t care at all (about it). |
| Non ne posso più. | I can’t stand it anymore. |
– In French:
Some verbs and expressions are followed by the preposition “de,” such as: “parler de” (to talk about), “avoir besoin de” (to need), “content de” (happy about), “sûr de” (sure of), etc. In these expressions, “en” can replace the preposition and the following noun.
For example, in the sentence “Je suis content du résultat” (I am happy about the result), we can replace “du résultat” (about the result) with “en” and place it before the verb, that is, “J’en suis content” (I am happy about it).
Notice that “en” here is placed before the verb and is translated as “about it.” The inanimate noun (thing or idea) that “en” replaces is also considered an indirect object.
Here are some more examples:
| Il parle du nouveau projet. Il en parle. | He is talking about the new project. He is talking about it. |
| J’ai besoin d’argent pour sortir. J’en ai besoin pour sortir. | I need the money to go out. I need it to go out. |
| Es-tu sûr de la réponse? En es-tu sûr? | Are you sure of the answer? Are you sure of it? |
There are also some idiomatic expressions that use the pronoun “en,” even though it may sometimes seem redundant. For example:
| Ça en vaut la peine. | It is worth it. |
| Qui s’en soucie de …? | Who cares about …? |
| Je en m’en soucie pas du tout. | I don’t care at all (about it). |
| Je n’en peux plus. | I can’t stand it anymore. |
To replace a number or a partitive such as “some” or “a little”
The pronouns “ne” in Italian and “en” in French are used with quantities and amounts, and are often translated as “of it” or “of them.”
– In Italian:
For example, in the sentence “Voglio del latte” (I want some milk), we can replace “del latte” (some milk) with “ne” and place it before the verb, that is, “Ne voglio” (I want some of it). Notice that “ne” here is placed before the verb and is translated as “some of it.”
Similarly, in the sentence “Ho due biscotti” (I have two cookies), we can replace “biscotti” (cookies) with “ne” and place it before the verb, that is, “Ne ho due” (I have two “of them”). Notice that “ne” here is placed before the verb and is translated as “of them.”
Here are some more examples:
| Vuoi un po’ d’acqua? Ne vuoi? | Do you want some water? Do you want some? |
| Ho preso la metà dello zucchero. Ne ho preso la metà. | I took half the sugar. I took half of it. |
| Ci sono tre mele sul tavolo. Ce ne sono tre sul tavolo. | There are three apples on the table. There are three of them on the table. |
Notice that in the last example “ci sono” (there are) is changed to “ce ne sono” (there are “of them”) because “ci” is often changed to “ce” when followed by another pronoun. Also, notice that the noun that “ne” replaces can be countable or uncountable.
In case there is a reflexive or indirect pronoun in the sentence, the reflexive or indirect pronoun is placed before “ne.” For example:
| Ti darò due libri. Ti ne darò due. | I will give you two books. I will give you two (of them). |
| Gli darò due libri. Gliene darò due. | I will give him two books. I will give him two (of them). |
Notice that, in the last example, the indirect pronoun “gli” is combined with “ne” to form the contraction “gliene.”
| gli + ne | = | gliene |
The pronoun “ne” can also attach to the verb in the infinitive or the imperative. This is more common with pronominal verbs which we will cover in Level VI, Lesson 6.
– In French:
For example, in the sentence “Je veux du lait” (I want some milk), we can replace “du lait” (some milk) with “en” and place it before the verb, that is, “J’en veux” (I want some of it). Notice that “en” here is placed before the verb and is translated as “some of it.”
Similarly, in the sentence “J’ai deux biscuits” (I have two cookies), we can replace “biscuits” (cookies) with “en” and place it before the verb, that is, “J’en ai deux” (I have two “of them”). Notice that “en” here is placed before the verb and is translated as “of them.”
Here are some more examples:
| Veux-tu de l’eau? En veux-tu? | Do you want some water? Do you want some? |
| J’ai pris la moitié du sucre. J’en ai pris la moitié. | I took half the sugar. I took half of it. |
| Il y a trois pommes sur la table. Il y en a trois sur la table. | There are three apples on the table. There are three of them on the table. |
Notice that the noun that “en” replaces can be countable or uncountable.
In case there is a reflexive or indirect pronoun in the sentence, the reflexive or indirect pronoun is placed before “en.” For example:
| Je te donnerai deux livres. Je t’en donnerai deux. | I will give you two books. I will give you two (of them). |
| Je lui donnerai deux livres. Je lui en donnerai deux. | I will give him two books. I will give him two (of them). |
The pronoun “en” is placed after the verb in the case of the affirmative imperative, for example:
| Donnez-moi deux livres. Donnez-m’en deux. | Give me two books. Give me two (of them). |
| Donnez-nous du pain. Donnez-nous en. | Give us some bread. Give us some (of it). |
The pronoun “en” is also used in some pronominal verbs, which we will cover in Level VI, Lesson 6.
Meaning “from here” or “from there” when referring to a place in Italian
For example, in the sentence: “È appena arrivato da Milano” (He has just arrived from Milan), we can eliminate “da Milano” (from Milan) and say: “Ne è appena arrivato” (He has just arrived from there).
Notice that “ne” is placed before the verb. It is also common to use “ne” with the verb “andare.” Here are more examples:
| Me ne vado domani. | I am leaving (from here) tomorrow. |
| Se n’è andato. | He’s gone (from here). |
| Devo andarmene. | I must get out (of here). |
| È uscito salvo dall’incidente. Ne è uscito salvo. | He got out of the accident safely. He got out (of there) safely. |
Next: Past Absolute Tense in Italian & Simple Past Tense in French
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