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How to Say ‘There's a shop’ in French

Il y a un magasin

eel ee ah uhn ma-ga-ZAN

[eel ee ah uhn ma-ga-ZAN]

💬 Usage Tip: Il y a is the fixed way to say "there is" or "there are", whether one thing or many: il y a des magasins "there are shops". In speech it often shrinks to (yah).

Phrase Breakdown

Il y a

eel ee ah

There is

A fixed expression said as one sound: 'ee-lee-ya'.

Example

Il y a du soleil.

It's sunny.

Words in this phrase

[eel]

there

At or in that place.

Example

Il y a une surprise pour toi.

There is a surprise for you.

[ee]

there

In or at that place.

Example

Y a-t-il une solution?

Is there a solution?

[ah]

has / is

Form of avoir; in il y a it means there is or there are.

Example

Il y a : a sert à dire qu'il y a une panne.

Il y a: a helps say that there is a breakdown.

un magasin

uhn ma-ga-ZAN

a shop

'Magasin' ends in a nasal sound: 'ma-ga-zan'.

Example

Le magasin est fermé.

The shop is closed.

Words in this phrase

[uhn]

a / an

Masculine singular indefinite article.

Example

Un plombier peut peut-être réparer le chauffe-eau.

A plumber may be able to repair the water heater.

magasin

[ma-ga-ZAN]

shop / store

Masculine noun for a place where things are sold.

Example

Le magasin est ouvert.

The shop is open.

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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