129 Grammar: The relative pronoun illi الّي
The relative pronoun
In English, a relative pronoun is a word that introduces a dependent (or relative) clause and connects it to an independent clause. In the sentence
The teacher who lived across the street moved to Paris.
The word “who” is a relative pronoun introducing the dependent/relative clause “who lived across the street.” This clause describes the subject “teacher” in the sentence “The teacher moved to Paris.”
Other common independent pronouns in English are “that” and “which”.
In Egyptian Arabic, one word “illii” الّي is the only relative pronoun. It is used for male, singular, and plural.
The professor who lives downtown. الاستاذ الّي ساكن في وسط البلد
The girl who is traveling. البنت الّي مسافرة
The young people who come every day. الشباب الّي بيجوا كل يوم
