Je suis dans le cinéma.
Je suis dans la classe.
Je suis sur le trottoir.
Is there anyway I can replace the objects after "dans" or "sur". I tried to google it but failed to get an answer.
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2 Answers
With the pronoun y.
Je suis dans le cinéma.
Je suis dans la classe.
Je suis sur le trottoir.
=>J'y suis.
See here for instance:
https://www.frenchtoday.com/blog/french-grammar/how-to-use-the-pronoun-y-in-french
1 – The French Pronoun Y Replaces A PLACE. A place is introduced by a preposition of place which can be “à” but also “sur, sous, en, au, aux…”:
Je vais à Paris = j’y vais
Je vais en France = j’y vais
Je vais au Japon = j’y vais
Additional staff
Y may retain its original meaning as an adverb, with the sense of there but its position is always of an object pronoun.
Sachant que vous y seriez. Knowing that you would be there.
Paul y a été envoyé. Paul was sent there.
As a pronoun, y represents a thing or things in the Dative or governed by the prepositions à, en, dans. Hence:
On entendait les ordres, mais on n'y obéissait (i.e. les ordres) plus. (obéir à qqch)
La maison n'était pas loin. Elle y a couru.
Il pensait à sa thèse. Il y pensait sans cesse.
Il est impossible de pénétrer dans le château. Il est impossible d'y pénétrer.
Y may be used impersonally, referring to a clause or idea.
S'il gardait le silence, c'est qu'il y était obligé. (Musset)
Watch the difference:
"Nous allons visiter le musée" => Nous allons le visiter.
Le replaces here le musée.
On the contrary,
Nous sommes au musée (à+le) => Nous y sommes (meaning we are there).
For y to replace a noun, the noun must come with a preposition (au musée here).
Similarly,
Nous irons au musée. => Nous y irons.
References:
H. Ferrar: A French Reference Grammar, p. 202.
M. Offold: A Student Grammar of French, p. 184.
See also the threads:
Replacing "le musée" with a pronom in the sentence: " nous allons visiter le musée"
answered Dec 10, 2018 at 10:31
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But won't it be unclear where exactly am I? Whether i am in or on. like in English when we say i am under or on it– ManarCommented Dec 10, 2018 at 10:41
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There is no (regular) way to be sur le cinéma or dans le trottoir so this detail is not necessary.– jlliagreCommented Dec 10, 2018 at 10:52
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2@Manar: When it's really necessary to the understanding, you can add an adverb as in: le chat s'y est mis dessus/dessous/dedans/à coté. But then, y is not strictly necessary in many such cases. Commented Dec 10, 2018 at 15:50
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@Stéphane Gimenez: Really thank you! That is what I was really asking and searching Google for.– ManarCommented Dec 10, 2018 at 21:30
As Dimitris answered, you can always use y to refer to a location:
Je suis dans le cinéma.
Je suis dans la classe.
Je suis sur le trottoir.J'y suis. (I'm there)
If you want to provide more details :
Je suis dedans (I'm inside) (cinema, classe)
Je suis dessus (I'm on the top of it) (trottoir)
...
