Il y a

I am taking a beginning french course (at a college, but it's a non-credited conversational french class) I am confused on the current lesson dealing with "Il y a". I know "Il y a" means there is or there are. The questions the instructor wrote out and the replies we are suppose to use is what I find confusing.

Here are the answers we can select from:
1. Il y a quelque chose
2. Il n'y a rein
3. Il y a quelqu'un
4. Il n'y a personne

Here's the first question. There's a picture that shows someone next to a car, not in a car:
1. Est-ce-qu'il y a quelqu'un un dans la voiture?

How would I answer that with what I have to select from? Il y a rein dans la voiture? Thanks for any help!

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Permalink Reply by Charles D on April 8, 2012 at 4:58am

"personne" when by itself like this can mean "no one" or "nobody" and it needs the negative construction of "ne". Therefore, I would answer "Il n'ya personne dans la voiture"--"there is no one in the car". Your choice translates as "there is nothing in the car," which of course is not the same thing. It may look confusing because your are thinking "personne" translates as "person" ("personage" in French). To give a further example "Personne n'est ici" simply means "No one (or "nobody") is here."

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Permalink Reply by Gustaf Drevin on April 8, 2012 at 10:38am

Yes, this would make sense. Number 4 is referring to something personal, while number 2 is impersonal, and you question deals with a person!