d) Dative pronoun: y (see p. 318, No. I, d

(11) y, pronominal adverb, is used as a substitute for any noun in the indirect object case (DATIVE) and referring to location or places, it usually corresponds to the English there, e.g.:

REFERENCE GRAMMAR

(a) il va au grenier; il y trouve sa malle: he goes up to the attic;

he finds his trunk there (p. 88, line 12); (y, in the second sentence is a substitute for au grenier).

(b) il y met ses deux complets neufs. . . . : he puts into it his

two new suits (p. 89, No. 91); (y, in this case, stands for dans sa malle).

(c) le train arrive à la gare; il y arrive: the train arrives at the

station; it arrives there (p. 97, line 9); (y stands for à la gare).

(d) le train est à Winnipeg; il y est: the train is in Winnipeg; it is

there (p. 97, line 12); (y stands for à Winnipeg).

120. (12) il y a, idiomatic expression, means there is, or there are, e.g.:

il y a beaucoup de malles sur le quai: there are many

trunks on the platform; (p. 91, line 1). devant la toilette il y a un petit fauteuil: in front of the

dressing table there is a small armchair (p. 81, line 13).

(13) il y a, before expressions of time corresponds to the English word ago (see p. 307, No. 45(6), the last three instances; and p. 309, No. 48 (6), also p. 311, No. 55 (a), last four instances).