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1) J'en ai perdu la clef --> "en" means "of it" and refers to the door.

The meaning is: Voici la porte, mais j'ai perdu la clef de la porte.

Since you don't want to repeat "la porte", you replace that by "en" (of it).

2) La porte en est peinte = La porte de la maison est peinte...

Again, you don't repeat "la maison" in the second part of the sentence, so you replace that by "en".

Take up Mona Lisa's answer as the correct one, honestly!

Instead of repeating la porte twice, this "en" represents the "its"

( of what ) or the --ommitted-- of in the 1st sentence.

In Italian is "ne".

On your 1st sentence, you also could have written:

Here is the door, but I've lost the key of. This of equals that "en".

Another example:

I see many glasses, I want one---of them.

Je vois plusieurs verres, j' en veux un.

This "en" it's also used to indicate departure from a place.

Let's go---from here= allons-nous en.

This is one of the major steps for one to talk french properly!

Then, there are special phrases, called : des gallisismes, i.e:

Parles-moi en= talk (to)me about.

je t'en prie= please, and when someone tells you "merci" you reply to him : je t'en prie =please, don't mention it.

Je doute= I doubt

Je m'en doute= I am sure about it. Normally used as : je m'en doutais=

I was sure about it.

These are very important for one to know about, since they can make

the grade and appear as french majors. Good luck-bonne chance!

Ciao...John-John.-

Ciao...John-John.-

En is a shorthand expression to show the relationship of two things.

Here is the door, but I have lost the key TO IT.

You will find the house, ITS door is painted green, or the door OF IT is painted green.

Mona Lisa answered very well your question