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How to Say ‘Isn't there’ in French

Il n'y a pas

eel n ee ah pah

[eel n ee ah pah]

💬 Usage Tip: Il y a "there is" works as a fixed block. To make it negative, n' goes before y and pas after a.

Phrase Breakdown

[eel]

there

At or in that place.

Example

Il y a une surprise pour toi.

There is a surprise for you.

[n]

not

Used to indicate negation or absence.

Example

Ce distributeur n'est pas encore disponible.

This ATM is not available yet.

[ee]

there

In or at that place.

Example

Y a-t-il une solution?

Is there a solution?

[ah]

has

Used with a past participle to form the present perfect tense.

Example

Elle a visité Paris.

She has visited Paris.

pas

[pah]

not

Used with 'ne' to form a negative.

Example

Je ne comprends pas.

I do not understand.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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