"What does the french adverbial pronouns ""y"" refer to? a previously mentioned or implied place - translated by ""there"" in English What does ""y"" usually replace? replaces prepositional phrase beginning with prepositions of a place like ""à"", ""chez"", ""dans"", etc... For example: (Are you going to school today?) Tu vas à l'école aujourd'hui? Is answered by Non, j'y vais demain (No I'm going (there) tomorrow) (They were at Paul's house.) Elles étaient chez Paul. Becomes Elles y étaient"