y'a

[Dwayne Roberts]

When I use translate.google.com, it often suggests that I want "y'a" instead of "y a". For example, if I enter

Il y a un chat sous le lit.

It asks if I mean

Il y'a un chat sous le lit.

I'm unfamiliar with "y'a".  Is it really written this way?  When?

[Neil Coffey]

No, there's no standard spelling "y'a".

As you may now, in fluent speech, "il y a" is often pronounced effectively as though it was written "y a". But at that point, you're departing from standard spelling, and it's arguable whether you write "y'a", "ya" or "y a" or something else that might occur to you.

[stu harris]

In internet chat (and presumably phone texting) it's ya.