Some grammar 1

On this posting, I will insist on a grammar point I know a lot of foreigners find difficult to master.

Where did you go yesterday?

->Où es-tu allée hier?

I went to see my friend yesterday in Paris.

-> Je suis allé voir mon amie hier, à Paris.

Here, nothing is special "grammatically speaking. But they are necessary to understand the sentences below gramatically speaking :-)


When did you go to Paris?

->Quand es-tu allée à Paris?

I went there on the afternoon.

-> Je suis allée là-bas dans l'après-midi.

OR :

-> J' y suis allée dans l'après-midi.

As you see, for not repeating "in Paris" all the time when already know this information, in french like in english we can use "there" : "là-bas".

Or something more "frenchie" : y

Je suis allée à la piscine = I went to the swimming pool

Ah tu y es allé! = Ah you've been there!

Tu y es allé = Tu es allé à la piscine.


Can you see something in that dark?

Tu vois quelque chose dans ce noir? = Tu y vois quelque chose ?


Ca fait longtemps que je ne suis pas retourné voir ma soeur à Paris.
= Ca fait longtemps que je n'y suis pas retourné voir ma soeur.


Keep in mind this scheme :

Subject +Verb+Object Complement+ place complement = Subject + Y + Verb+ Object Compl.


I hope this grammar point will be clearer now, i hope i was clear ;;
..it is not easy for you when you don't have an equivalent in your language, but it will simplify your french talking once you master it! :-)