il en avait

he had some

→ il
phrase Rare #25,604
he had some The pronoun en usually means “some,” “any,” or “of it/them,” referring to something mentioned or understood. In expressions such as il en avait assez and il en avait marre, the phrase means “he had had enough” and “he was fed up,” respectively.
FR: Il en avait encore un peu après le dîner.
EN: He still had a little left after dinner.

Mais il en avait quand tu l'as épousé ?

But he had some when you married him?

— Assurance sur la mort (1944)

Bill ne savait pas ce que ça voulait dire, mais il en avait l'idée.

Bill didn't know what it meant, but he had an idea.

— It's Such a Beautiful Day (2012)

Il en avait un.

He had one.

Il en avait marre de couler dans mes veines.

He was tired of flowing through my veins.

— Rang de Basanti (2006)

Comme il en avait deux, il avait mal plus souvent que les autres.

Since he had two of them, he was in pain more often than the others.

— Sympathy for Mister Vengeance (2002)

Il en avait besoin.

He needed it.

Il en avait une quand il m'a prise en stop.

He had one when he picked me up hitchhiking.

— Diva (1981)

Je fus la seule à dire la vérité à ton père quand il en avait besoin.

I was the only one who told your father the truth when he needed it.

— Guerre et Paix (1968)

Peter n'avait pas un enfant il en avait deux.

Peter didn't have one child; he had two.

— Insaisissables 3 (2025)

Il en avait marre de la vie en ville.

He was tired of city life.

Il en avait vraiment besoin.

He really needed it.

— मुन्ना भाई एम बी बी एस (2003)

Il en avait un peu.

He had a little bit of it.

S'il en avait le souffle, il irait à l'évier.

If he had the breath for it, he would go to the sink.

— Carandiru (2003)

Il en avait assez de son travail.

He was fed up with his job.