“Who / That (relative)” in Tunisian Arabic
اللِّي
Elli
Who / That (relative)
To say “Who / That (relative)” in Tunisian Arabic, you say اللِّي, pronounced “Elli”. An intermediate-level word, very common. In the Derja app, it appears in 2 example sentences, 1 dialogue and 3 idioms.
Examples
In the app's dialogues
- 🏛️ At the town hall · A missing documentشنوة الكاغط اللي ناقص ؟chnouwa el kaghet elli na9es ?Which document is missing?
Idioms
- اللّي فات ماتelli fet metThe past is the past, turn the pageLiterally: what has passed is dead
- اللّي يخاف من العفريت يطلعلهelli ykhaf mel 3afrit yotla3louFear draws in the very thing you dreadLiterally: whoever fears the demon sees it appear
- اللّي عجبه عجبه، اللّي ما عجبوش يطلعelli 3ajbou 3ajbou, elli ma 3ajbouch yotla3Take it or leave itLiterally: whoever likes it, good; whoever doesn't, leaves
Grammar notes
The relative اللي (elli)
A single word for "who", "which", "that" and "the one who".
- الراجل اللي جا البارحer-rajel elli ja el bare7The man who came yesterday
- الماكلة اللي طيبتها بنينةel mekla elli tayyebtha bninaThe dish you cooked is delicious
- اللي يحب يجي، يجيelli y7eb yji, yjiWhoever wants to come, let them come
Did you know?
A Tunisian arrangement is flexible: people are far readier to say وَقْت اللِّي تِجِي (whenever you come) than to fix an hour. Don't be surprised by a تَوّا نْجِي (I'm on my way) that stretches a little: the elastic in time is part of the charm.
Seen in the same sentences
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