il y a

See also: Ilya

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /i.l‿i.j‿a/, /i.lja/, (colloquial) /i.ja/, /ja/

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• (Louisiana) IPA^(key): [ja], [ina], [na]

Verb

il y a (infinitive y avoir, interrogative form y a-t-il, negative form il n’y a pas)

1. impersonal singular present indicative of y avoir: there is, there are

   Synonym: (very colloquial) y a

   Il y a un problème. ― There is a problem.

   Il y a deux personnes ici. ― There are two people here.

Derived terms

• il n’y a pas de quoi
• il n’y a pas un chat

Preposition

il y a

1. ago

   Je l’ai vu il y a longtemps.

   I saw it a long time ago.

   Elle est allée en France il y a deux ans. ― She went to France two years ago.

   C’est il y a dix ans que je suis allé aux États-Unis. ― It was ten years ago that I went to the United States.