Y’a-tu quelqu’un?
Is anybody there?
What does y’a-tu mean in this question?
During conversations, maybe you’ve noticed that il y a is almost always pronounced colloquially as y’a (sounds like yâ).
Y’a-tu quelqu’un?
= Il y a-tu quelqu’un?
The tu after the verb here signals that we’re being asked a yes-no question.
Y’a-tu quelqu’un?
= Il y a-tu quelqu’un?
= Il y a-[oui ou non] quelqu’un?
In the song Maudite jalousie (listen on YouTube here), Kevin Parent sings:
Y’a-tu quelqu’un qui peut m’expliquer?
Is there anybody who can explain to me?
Can anybody explain to me?
A question beginning with y’a-tu…? means the same thing as one that begins with est-ce qu’il y a…?
Y’a-tu quelqu’un que ça intéresse?
Est-ce qu’il y a quelqu’un que ça intéresse?
Is there anybody who’s interested? Is anybody interested? Is there anybody who cares? Does anybody care?
Y’a-tu vraiment une différence entre les deux?
Est-ce qu’il y a vraiment une différence entre les deux?
Is there really a difference between the two?
Do you remember how tu is pronounced by most Québécois? It sounds like tsu. Y’a-tu sounds like yâ-tsu.
This post reminds me of the song “ya tu d’la biere icitte”. When I first started studing QC French I had a hard time translating the title of that song. The tu as a yes or no question is certainly unique, and can def be a little confusing to non natives. Thanks for all the great post. Your site has helped grow and progress so much!