What does il y a mean in french?

"Il y a" in French literally translates to "there is" or "there are". However, it's more accurate to say it means "there is/are" or "ago" depending on the context.

Here's how it works:

"There is/are"

* Il y a un chat dans le jardin. (There is a cat in the garden.)

* Il y a des livres sur la table. (There are books on the table.)

"Ago"

* Il y a deux ans, j'ai déménagé. (Two years ago, I moved.)

* Il y a une heure, j'ai mangé. (An hour ago, I ate.)

Essentially, "il y a" acts as a placeholder for something that exists or happened in the past. The following word (or phrase) will determine the exact meaning.