Y EXPRESSING PLACE
Y replaces a preposition indicating location* + its object.
Y is usually translated as there.
eg
Tu vas à l'école aujourd'hui? [Are you going to school today?]
Tu y vas aujourd'hui? [Are you going there today?]
Nous étions chez Pauliune. [We were at Pauline's place]
Nous y étions. [We were there]
NOTE : In English, there can be often omitted, but y can never be omitted in French. eg
[Are you going to the bank today? - No, I am going (there) tomorrow]
Y REPLACING AN INANIMATE OBJECT
With certain verbs** y replaces the preposition à when its object is an idea or a thing, but not a person.
Y is usually translated as it.
eg Je réponds à une lettre. [I'm responding to a letter]
J'y réponds. [I'm responding to it
Je pense à notre voyage. [I'm thinking about our trip]
J'y pense. [I'm thinking about it.
NOTE: When these verbs are followed by a person, pronom tonique will be used:
NOTE: Y usually cannot replace à + verb.
J'hésite à la dire. [I hesitate to tell it]NOTE: Y is found in the exprerssion il y a.
PLACEMENT OF Y
Y precedes the verb it refers to except in affirmatif impératif, where it comes after the verb. eg. Allons-y! [Let's go there!]
NOTE : In négatif impératif, y precedes the verb.