Look at these sentences in L'Impératif:
Mange dans ce restaurant ! Manges-y !
Eat in that restaurant! Eat there!
Tu y vas. - Vas-y !
You're going there. - Go there!
Note that in L'Impératif, the pronoun y is placed after the verb with a hyphen in between.
ATTENTION:
In the tu form, -ER verbs recover their original -s in front of y (for pronunciation reasons):
See also Using "en" with affirmative commands (L'Impératif)
and Conjugate regular verbs in L'Impératif (imperative)
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Q&A
Shrey
Kwiziq community member
3 November 2018
2 replies
In the example "Tu y vas." -Vas-y! Is "s" being recovered in Va ,as tu form is there and l'imperatif has been used? Just want to confirm
In the example "Tu y vas." -Vas-y!
Is "s" being recovered in Va ,as tu form is there and l'imperatif has been used?
Just want to confirm
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
3/11/18
Hi Varsha,
Yes Varsha, this is the 'tu' form of the imperative of aller.
Tu y vas ...... Vas-y!
the other two forms are :
Allons-y!....... Let's go!
Allez-y! ...... Go!
Hope this helps!
Shrey
Kwiziq community member
3/11/18
Merci Madame,
Really grateful
Joakim
Kwiziq community member
9 April 2017
4 replies
Allons/Allons-y
Could you use just "Allons!" for "Let's go!" if there's no clear destination, or should both "Let's go!" and "Let's go there!" be translated as "Allons-y" ?
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
10/04/17
David
Kwiziq community member
5/07/18
David
Kwiziq community member
5/07/18
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
10/08/18
Bonjour David !
Yes, in the case of La Marseillaise, it's linked to the fact that here, the "cry" is not so much related to a specific destination as to the impetus to go forward.
Note however that the use of the nous form in particular is definitely antiquated :)
In a similar way, you can use "Allez !", as a supporter chant for example, which in English would be closer to "Come on!" :)
Bonne journée !
Asiimwe
Kwiziq community member
2/12/16
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
10/04/17
Chris
Kwiziq community member
17 October 2016
1 reply
Difference between "On y va!" and "Allons-y!"
I answered "On y va!" and it was marked wrong. I wonder what the difference between "on y va" and "allons-y" really is... Thanks, -- Chris.
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
17/10/16
Gruff
Kwiziq language super star
11/02/16
Hi Sheldon - thanks for asking this.
I've added links in the lessons now between the two use cases for "y" and "en" with affirmative commands so you can compare them.
You may also find it useful to know that in any of our lessons you can generally see related lessons listed on the lower right even if they're not listed within the leson. Also, the links under the "Jargon Buster" will take you to the glossary where you can see other lessons appearing under the same area of grammar.
"y" and "en" are called Adverbial Pronouns and they're used in various additional situations: https://kwiziq.learnfrenchwithalexa.com/revision/glossary/pronoun-type/adverbial-pronouns
Hope that helps!
Shrey
Kwiziq community member
31 January 2019
2 replies
An exceptional case
Bonjour Madame !
I have carefully read the green box which states that when y pronoun comes after ER verbs in tu form in L’Impératif , then the dropped-out s is recovered.
But for the verbs like ouvrir, couvrir , offrir , découvrir which though are “IR” verbs but are conjugated like “ER” verbs , will this case persist for them also ?
If so please provide a few examples to illustrate the same.
Bonne journée !
Tom
Kwiziq community member
1 February 2019
1/02/19
Bonjour Varsha,
Your suspicions are correct, these types of IR verbs, for reasons of euphony, add the terminal s to the second person singular imperative form when followed by the pronouns y and en.
Examples:
cueilles-en quelques unes (fleurs)
offres-y tes conseils
ouvres-en (boites) etc.
Hope this helps,
Tom
Shrey
Kwiziq community member
4 February 2019
4/02/19
Merci Monsieur Tom ! I am clear with the concept.