# FR: penser à / de - y / en - préposition



## mysteriouscreep

Pourquoi est-ce que je vois "J'y pense" (qui implique "penser à") mais aussi "Qu'en pense-tu?" (qui implique "penser de")?

*Moderator note:* Multiple threads merged to create this one.


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## Suehil

I think that 'J'y pense' means 'I'm thinking about' - i.e. the subject of my thoughts, 'Qu'en pense-tu' means 'What do you think of it' - i.e. your opinion of it.


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## mysteriouscreep

Alors, quel est correct: penser à ou penser de? Ou est-ce qu'ils ont des sens différents ?


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## Argyll

Ils ont des sens différents:

- Pense à déposer ta demande avant le 15 juin. - J'y penserai.
Don't forget to hand in your application by June 15. - I won't.

- Que penses-tu de ce Quart de Chaume? - Délicieux.
How do you like this Quart de Chaume? - It's delicious.

Hope this is clear.


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## sensa

I need to decide if a disjunctive pronoun fits in the underlined part or not.

Tes amis ne t'oublieront jamais. Ils penseront toujours à toi.

Does this mean: You friends never forget you. They always think of you?

I am confused because of the *à*. If they want to say "of", they would have used "de"?


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## Maître Capello

penser *à* qqn/qqch = have somebody/something on one's mind
penser qqch *de* qqn/qqch = have such and such opinion about somebody/something


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## Bulbul

I am a little confused when using "en" and "y".

Please explain the difference and the usage of the following examples:
J'en pense
J'y pense

Thanks!


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## Monsieur Hoole

en is usually used for things introduced with _de_

y for a place or things introduced with _à_ 

penser de = to think about as in what is your opinion about something (en)
penser _à_ = to think about as in reflect on a subject (y)

M.H.


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## geostan

The first sentence would be unlikely, but a question such as:

_Qu'en penses-tu? _is perfectly reasonable, since the meaning is "What is your opinion of it/them?"
The second sentence is the normal usage, since the meaning is "I have it/them on my mind."

Actually, I just thought of an example where j'en pense would work.

_Il me demandera sans doute ce que j'en pense._ (Again, the idea of having an opinion is the meaning.)


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## Bulbul

Il ne dit rien, mais il n'en pense pas moins. (not thinking of anything less)
Ça marche?


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## geostan

Je crois que oui.


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## amélie.

what is the difference between the meanings of:

[…]

penser à, et penser de

?


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## GerardM

Hi amélie,

[…]

- penser à ttt / you're _thinking of_ your passed vacation
- penser de uuu / what's your _thought about_ the policy led by the Prime Minister?


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## Gérard Napalinex

Hello Amélie,

[…]

penser à =  think of, as "I'm thinking of you"
penser de = think of, as "What I'm thinking of you"

HTH


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## dll1

[…]
so what is the rule for penser à and penser de.
i know the person in that thread answered this, but i want to know if that is right.


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## moustic

Penser de -> when you want an opinion : _Qu'est-ce que tu penses de ma déco ?
_
Penser à -> when you want to remember something:_ Je dois penser à préparer mes affaires._


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