When learning French, understanding how to describe what exists or happened is very important. Words like “there was,” “there is,” and “there are” are used often in everyday conversations. These phrases help us talk about situations, things, or events, both in the present and past.
In this article, we will learn how to say “there was” in French and explore how to use related phrases like “there is” and “there are.” You will also discover other ways to say these phrases, learn how to respond to them, and practice using them in simple exercises. By the end, you’ll feel more comfortable using these expressions in real conversations.
Ways to Say “There Was” in French
In French, expressing “there was” and similar phrases like “there is” and “there are” is straightforward but varies depending on the tense and context. These phrases are essential for describing past, present, or general situations. Below, you’ll find several ways to say “there was,” with examples and explanations to help you understand and use them correctly.
1. Il y avait
Pronunciation: eel ee ah-vay
Meaning: There was / There were (used for past descriptions).
In a Sentence:
- Il y avait beaucoup de monde au parc. (There was a big crowd at the park.)
- Il y avait des livres sur la table. (There were books on the table.)
2. Il y eut
Pronunciation: eel ee ew
Meaning: There was (used in formal or literary contexts for a completed action).
In a Sentence:
- Il y eut un silence après son discours. (There was silence after his speech.)
- Il y eut un accident sur la route hier. (There was an accident on the road yesterday.)
3. Il y avait une fois
Pronunciation: eel ee ah-vay oon fwa
Meaning: Once upon a time (used in storytelling).
In a Sentence:
- Il y avait une fois un roi qui vivait dans un grand château. (Once upon a time, there was a king who lived in a large castle.)
- Il y avait une fois un garçon qui aimait explorer. (Once upon a time, there was a boy who loved to explore.)
4. Il y a eu
Pronunciation: eel ee ah ew
Meaning: There was (used for past events in a more recent or specific sense).
In a Sentence:
- Il y a eu une fête hier soir. (There was a party last night.)
- Il y a eu un problème avec le système. (There was an issue with the system.)
5. Il existait
Pronunciation: eel ex-ee-stay
Meaning: There existed (formal or literary usage).
In a Sentence:
- Il existait une école au sommet de la colline. (There existed a school at the top of the hill.)
- Il existait un chemin secret dans la forêt. (There existed a secret path in the forest.)
6. Il se trouvait
Pronunciation: eel suh troo-vay
Meaning: There was / There could be found (emphasizing location).
In a Sentence:
- Il se trouvait un village près de la rivière. (There was a village near the river.)
- Il se trouvait une solution à ce problème. (There was a solution to this problem.)
7. C’était
Pronunciation: say-tay
Meaning: It was / That was (used conversationally to mean “there was”).
In a Sentence:
- C’était une belle journée hier. (There was a beautiful day yesterday.)
- C’était un moment très spécial. (There was a very special moment.)
8. On avait
Pronunciation: ohn ah-vay
Meaning: One had / There was (used informally).
In a Sentence:
- On avait une bonne ambiance à la fête. (There was a great atmosphere at the party.)
- On avait un problème technique au début. (There was a technical problem at first.)
9. Il s’agissait de
Pronunciation: eel sa-zhee-say duh
Meaning: It was about / There was a matter of (used for emphasis or explanation).
In a Sentence:
- Il s’agissait d’un événement important. (There was an important event.)
- Il s’agissait de la dernière chance. (There was the last chance.)
10. Il pleuvait
Pronunciation: eel pluh-vay
Meaning: It was raining / There was rain.
In a Sentence:
- Il pleuvait hier soir, alors nous sommes restés à la maison. (It was raining last night, so we stayed home.)
- Il pleuvait fort quand nous sommes arrivés. (There was heavy rain when we arrived.)
11. Il neigeait
Pronunciation: eel neh-zhay
Meaning: It was snowing / There was snow.
In a Sentence:
- Il neigeait quand nous avons fait une promenade. (It was snowing when we went for a walk.)
- Il neigeait toute la nuit. (There was snow all night.)
12. Il faisait
Pronunciation: eel fah-zay
Meaning: It was / There was (used for describing weather or conditions).
In a Sentence:
- Il faisait froid ce matin. (There was cold weather this morning.)
- Il faisait sombre dans la pièce. (There was darkness in the room.)
13. On dit qu’il y avait
Pronunciation: ohn dee keel ee ah-vay
Meaning: It is said that there was.
In a Sentence:
- On dit qu’il y avait une ancienne bibliothèque dans cette maison. (It is said that there was an old library in this house.)
- On dit qu’il y avait un trésor caché ici. (It is said that there was hidden treasure here.)
14. Il semblait y avoir
Pronunciation: eel sahm-blay tee ah-vwar
Meaning: There seemed to be.
In a Sentence:
- Il semblait y avoir une erreur dans le rapport. (There seemed to be an error in the report.)
- Il semblait y avoir un problème avec la porte. (There seemed to be a problem with the door.)
15. Il se passait
Pronunciation: eel suh pah-say
Meaning: There was happening / Something was going on.
In a Sentence:
- Il se passait une grande fête dans le village. (There was a big party happening in the village.)
- Il se passait quelque chose de bizarre. (There was something strange happening.)
16. Il y aurait eu
Pronunciation: eel ee oh-ray ew
Meaning: There would have been.
In a Sentence:
- Il y aurait eu un accident si nous n’avions pas freiné. (There would have been an accident if we hadn’t braked.)
- Il y aurait eu des problèmes sans votre aide. (There would have been problems without your help.)
17. Il y a toujours eu
Pronunciation: eel ee ah too-zhoor ew
Meaning: There has always been.
In a Sentence:
- Il y a toujours eu des défis dans ce projet. (There have always been challenges in this project.)
- Il y a toujours eu des animaux dans cette forêt. (There have always been animals in this forest.)
18. Il n’y avait pas
Pronunciation: eel nee ah-vay pah
Meaning: There was not / There were no.
In a Sentence:
- Il n’y avait pas de réponse à cette question. (There was no answer to that question.)
- Il n’y avait pas de solution simple. (There was no simple solution.)
19. Il n’y eut pas
Pronunciation: eel nee ew pah
Meaning: There was not (formal or literary).
In a Sentence:
- Il n’y eut pas de bruit dans la pièce. (There was no noise in the room.)
- Il n’y eut pas d’accord entre les parties. (There was no agreement between the parties.)
20. Il n’y a pas eu
Pronunciation: eel nee ah pah ew
Meaning: There wasn’t / There hasn’t been.
In a Sentence:
- Il n’y a pas eu d’orage hier soir. (There wasn’t a storm last night.)
- Il n’y a pas eu de problème pendant la réunion. (There hasn’t been an issue during the meeting.)
21. Il y avait des fois
Pronunciation: eel ee ah-vay day fwa
Meaning: There were times.
In a Sentence:
- Il y avait des fois où tout semblait parfait. (There were times when everything seemed perfect.)
- Il y avait des fois où nous avions peur. (There were times when we were afraid.)
22. Il manquait
Pronunciation: eel mahn-kay
Meaning: There was missing.
In a Sentence:
- Il manquait une pièce du puzzle. (There was a piece missing from the puzzle.)
- Il manquait un document dans le dossier. (There was a document missing from the file.)
23. Il restait
Pronunciation: eel res-tay
Meaning: There was remaining.
In a Sentence:
- Il restait un peu de gâteau après la fête. (There was a little cake remaining after the party.)
- Il restait beaucoup de travail à faire. (There was a lot of work remaining to be done.)
24. Il y avait autrefois
Pronunciation: eel ee ah-vay oh-truh-fwa
Meaning: There was in the past / Long ago.
In a Sentence:
- Il y avait autrefois un grand château ici. (There was once a large castle here.)
- Il y avait autrefois des champs tout autour. (There were fields all around long ago.)
25. Il y a quelque temps
Pronunciation: eel ee ah kel-kuh tahn
Meaning: There was some time ago.
In a Sentence:
- Il y a quelque temps, il y avait un magasin ici. (There was a shop here some time ago.)
- Il y a quelque temps, il y avait une fête dans ce parc. (There was a party in this park some time ago.)
Other Ways to Say “There Was” in French
Here’s a list of other ways to express “there was” in French, with pronunciation, meanings, and example sentences presented in a clear table format:
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Il y avait longtemps | eel ee ah-vay lon-tahn | There was a long time ago | Il y avait longtemps, nous étions amis. (There was a long time ago, we were friends.)Il y avait longtemps, cette région était déserte. (A long time ago, this area was deserted.) |
| Il y a des années | eel ee ah day ah-nay | There were years ago | Il y a des années, nous avons visité ce musée. (Years ago, we visited this museum.)Il y a des années, il y avait une école ici. (Years ago, there was a school here.) |
| Il n’y avait rien | eel nee ah-vay ryahn | There was nothing | Il n’y avait rien à voir là-bas. (There was nothing to see there.)Il n’y avait rien dans le tiroir. (There was nothing in the drawer.) |
| Il restait encore | eel res-tay ahn-kor | There was still | Il restait encore du pain dans la cuisine. (There was still bread in the kitchen.)Il restait encore des invités à la fête. (There were still guests at the party.) |
| Il était une fois | eel ay-tay oon fwa | Once upon a time | Il était une fois une princesse courageuse. (Once upon a time, there was a brave princess.)Il était une fois un cheval magique. (Once upon a time, there was a magical horse.) |
| Il s’est produit | eel seh proo-dee | There occurred / There was an event | Il s’est produit un accident grave hier soir. (There was a serious accident last night.)Il s’est produit une erreur dans les données. (There was an error in the data.) |
| On trouvait | ohn troo-vay | One could find / There was | On trouvait souvent des trésors dans cette région. (There were often treasures found in this area.)On trouvait des poissons rares ici. (There were rare fish here.) |
| On disait qu’il y avait | ohn dee-zay keel ee ah-vay | It was said that there was | On disait qu’il y avait des fantômes dans ce château. (It was said that there were ghosts in this castle.)On disait qu’il y avait un trésor caché ici. (It was said that there was hidden treasure here.) |
| Il n’y avait que | eel nee ah-vay kuh | There was only | Il n’y avait que quelques personnes au parc. (There were only a few people in the park.)Il n’y avait que du silence dans la maison. (There was only silence in the house.) |
| Il se pourrait qu’il y ait | eel suh poo-ray kee ee ay | There could have been | Il se pourrait qu’il y ait eu un problème technique. (There could have been a technical problem.)Il se pourrait qu’il y ait une réunion demain. (There could have been a meeting tomorrow.) |
| Il fut | eel foo | There was (formal, literary) | Il fut un temps où tout était plus simple. (There was a time when everything was simpler.)Il fut une époque où les règles étaient différentes. (There was a time when rules were different.) |
| Il n’y a jamais eu | eel nee ah zha-may ew | There has never been | Il n’y a jamais eu de disputes entre nous. (There has never been any arguments between us.)Il n’y a jamais eu de neige ici. (There has never been snow here.) |
| Il existait auparavant | eel ex-ee-stay oo-pah-rav-an | There existed before | Il existait auparavant un grand pont ici. (There existed a large bridge here before.)Il existait auparavant une tradition unique. (There existed a unique tradition before.) |
| Il paraissait | eel pah-rah-say | There seemed to be | Il paraissait une solution simple, mais ce n’était pas le cas. (There seemed to be a simple solution, but it wasn’t the case.)Il paraissait un problème évident. (There seemed to be an obvious problem.) |
| Il faisait jour | eel fah-zay zhoor | There was daylight | Il faisait jour quand ils sont partis. (There was daylight when they left.)Il faisait jour déjà très tôt le matin. (There was daylight already very early in the morning.) |
Response to “There Was” in French
When someone mentions “there was” in French, you might need to respond in agreement, disagreement, or to share additional information. Below are various responses you can use to fit different situations. Each response helps you engage in a conversation naturally and appropriately.
1. Oui, je m’en souviens
Pronunciation: wee, zhuh mahn soo-vyan
Meaning: Yes, I remember it.
In a Sentence: Oui, je m’en souviens, il y avait une grande fête ce jour-là. (Yes, I remember it; there was a big party that day.)
2. Non, je ne pense pas
Pronunciation: noh, zhuh nuh pahn-suh pah
Meaning: No, I don’t think so.
In a Sentence: Non, je ne pense pas qu’il y ait eu un tel problème. (No, I don’t think there was such a problem.)
3. C’est vrai
Pronunciation: say vray
Meaning: That’s true.
In a Sentence: C’est vrai, il y avait beaucoup de monde au parc. (That’s true; there was a big crowd at the park.)
4. Pas sûr
Pronunciation: pah soor
Meaning: Not sure.
In a Sentence: Pas sûr qu’il y ait eu une erreur. (Not sure if there was an error.)
5. Exactement
Pronunciation: egz-ak-tuh-mahn
Meaning: Exactly.
In a Sentence: Exactement, il y avait des fleurs magnifiques là-bas. (Exactly; there were beautiful flowers there.)
6. Peut-être
Pronunciation: puh-tet-ruh
Meaning: Maybe.
In a Sentence: Peut-être qu’il y avait une autre solution. (Maybe there was another solution.)
7. Oui, c’était incroyable
Pronunciation: wee, say-tay ahn-krwah-yah-bluh
Meaning: Yes, it was incredible.
In a Sentence: Oui, c’était incroyable qu’il y ait eu autant de visiteurs. (Yes, it was incredible that there were so many visitors.)
8. Ça dépend
Pronunciation: sah day-pahn
Meaning: It depends.
In a Sentence: Ça dépend de ce que vous appelez un problème. (It depends on what you call a problem.)
9. Je ne sais pas
Pronunciation: zhuh nuh say pah
Meaning: I don’t know.
In a Sentence: Je ne sais pas s’il y avait une réunion. (I don’t know if there was a meeting.)
10. C’est dommage
Pronunciation: say doh-mahj
Meaning: That’s unfortunate.
In a Sentence: C’est dommage qu’il n’y ait pas eu assez de chaises. (It’s unfortunate that there weren’t enough chairs.)
11. Ah oui, bien sûr
Pronunciation: ah wee, byan soor
Meaning: Oh yes, of course.
In a Sentence: Ah oui, bien sûr, il y avait une fois une boutique ici. (Oh yes, of course, there was once a shop here.)
12. Tu as raison
Pronunciation: tyoo ah ray-zon
Meaning: You’re right.
In a Sentence: Tu as raison, il y avait une solution plus simple. (You’re right; there was a simpler solution.)
Exercise to Practice “There Was” in French
Here are 12 fill-in-the-blank exercises to practice using the different ways to say “there was” in French. Each sentence is written in French, with the meaning provided.
Fill-in-the-Blank Sentences
- Hier soir, ______ une grande fête au parc. (Last night, there was a big party at the park.)
- ______ des années, il y avait une école ici. (Years ago, there was a school here.)
- ______ un château ancien près de la rivière. (Once upon a time, there was an old castle near the river.)
- Il semble qu’______ une erreur dans le rapport. (It seems there was an error in the report.)
- ______ un silence total après le discours. (There was complete silence after the speech.)
- Dans cette forêt, ______ un sentier caché. (In this forest, there was a hidden trail.)
- ______ longtemps, ce village était prospère. (A long time ago, this village was prosperous.)
- ______ des fleurs magnifiques dans le jardin. (There were beautiful flowers in the garden.)
- Il paraît qu’______ un problème technique. (It appears there was a technical issue.)
- ______ un accident grave sur cette route hier. (There was a serious accident on this road yesterday.)
- ______ de la neige partout pendant l’hiver. (There was snow everywhere during winter.)
- ______ encore des invités à la fête tard dans la nuit. (There were still guests at the party late into the night.)
Answers
- Hier soir, il y avait une grande fête au parc.
- Il y a des années, il y avait une école ici.
- Il y avait un château ancien près de la rivière.
- Il semble qu’il y ait eu une erreur dans le rapport.
- Il y eut un silence total après le discours.
- Dans cette forêt, il y avait un sentier caché.
- Il y avait longtemps, ce village était prospère.
- Il y avait des fleurs magnifiques dans le jardin.
- Il paraît qu’il y ait eu un problème technique.
- Il y a eu un accident grave sur cette route hier.
- Il y avait de la neige partout pendant l’hiver.
- Il restait encore des invités à la fête tard dans la nuit.
Conclusion
Learning how to say “there was” in French, along with related phrases like “there is” and “there are,” helps you describe situations in the past, present, and future. These phrases are a key part of everyday conversations and storytelling, whether you’re talking about events, describing scenes, or sharing memories.
By practicing these expressions, you’ll gain confidence in using them naturally in different contexts. Understanding their subtle differences and when to use them can make your French sound more fluent and accurate. Keep practicing, and soon these phrases will become a regular part of your vocabulary.