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How to Say ‘Are there any problems?’ in French

Il y a des problèmes ?

eel ee ah day pro-BLEM

[eel ee ah day pro-BLEM]

💬 Usage Tip: Il y a covers both "there is" and "there are", and never changes for plurals. Swap the ending: Il y a des questions ? "Are there any questions?".

Phrase Breakdown

Il y a

eel ee ah

Are there / There is

Very common expression. Say it fast as 'ee-lya'.

Example

Il y a du café.

There's coffee.

Words in this phrase

[eel]

it (impersonal)

Impersonal subject used with verbs like 'rester' meaning 'there is left'.

Example

Il reste du pain.

There is some bread left.

[ee]

there

In or at that place.

Example

Y a-t-il une solution?

Is there a solution?

[ah]

has (in 'il y a' = there is)

Part of 'il y a', meaning there is/are.

Example

Il y a une terrasse.

There is a terrace.

des problèmes ?

day pro-BLEM

(any) problems?

'Des' is the plural article. Raise your voice at the end for the question.

Example

J'ai des problèmes.

I have problems.

Words in this phrase

des

[day]

some / plural indefinite article

Plural article used before nouns when speaking generally about unspecified people or things.

Example

Des profils polyvalents sont très recherchés aujourd'hui.

Versatile profiles are highly sought after today.

problèmes

[pro-BLEM]

problems

Plural of 'problème', a masculine noun.

Example

J'ai des problèmes de sommeil.

I have sleep problems.

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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