How to Say ‘There is / There are’ in French
Il y a
eel ee ah
[eel ee ah]
💬 Usage Tip: [Il y a] means "there is/there are," even though the words don't match English literally. You'll see it constantly for saying something exists: [Il y a du monde], [Il y a un problème].
Phrase Breakdown
Il
[eel]
it
Part of the fixed expression 'il y a', which means 'there is' or 'there are'.
Il y a trop de monde près de la porte.
There are too many people near the door.
y
[ee]
there
Part of the fixed expression 'il y a'; not translated word-for-word in natural English.
Il y a une table libre au fond.
There is a free table at the back.
a
[ah]
has / is
From the verb avoir; in 'il y a' it helps form 'there is/there are'.
Il y a un coin plus tranquille là-bas.
There is a quieter corner over there.
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