المكتبة اللي جنب الجامعة بتقفل متاخر.

In Egyptian Arabic, اللي is the common relative word meaning that, which, or who.

So:

• المكتبة اللي جنب الجامعة = the library that is next to the university

It works for people and things, and unlike English, it does not change form.

Examples:

• الولد اللي هناك = the boy who is over there
• العربية اللي برّه = the car that is outside

Because in Arabic, the verb to be is usually omitted in the present tense.

So instead of saying:

• the library that is next to the university

Egyptian Arabic simply says:

• المكتبة اللي جنب الجامعة
• literally: the library that next to the university

This is completely normal. Arabic only uses an explicit was/were-type verb in past contexts, or other forms when needed.

جنب means beside, next to, or by the side of.

In this sentence:

• جنب الجامعة = next to the university

It is very common in Egyptian Arabic for location.

You may also hear:

• جنب البيت = next to the house
• جنب الشغل = next to work / near the workplace

In Egyptian Arabic, بـ on a present-tense verb often marks a regular, ongoing, or general present action.

So:

• تقفل = close
• بتقفل = it closes / it is closing depending on context

In this sentence, the natural meaning is:

• it closes late

So بـ helps show this is the normal present/habitual form.

Because المكتبة (the library) is grammatically feminine.

In Arabic, verbs agree with their subject, so for she/it feminine, Egyptian Arabic often uses:

• بتـ...

Here:

• المكتبة = feminine noun
• بتقفل = it closes referring to a feminine subject

If the subject were masculine, the form would usually be different.

متاخر means late.

Here it works like an adverb in English, even though Arabic often uses adjective-like words in this position.

So:

• بتقفل متاخر = it closes late

This is very normal in Arabic. You do not need a separate adverb form like English late vs. lately. The word متاخر simply gives the manner/time sense here.

الجامعة means the university, a specific university.

So:

• جنب الجامعة = next to the university

If you said جنب جامعة, that would sound more like next to a university, which is less specific.

In this sentence, the speaker clearly means a particular university that both speaker and listener can identify.

A common pronunciation would be something like:

• el-maktaba elli gamb el-gāmʕa bitʔafal meta'khar

A few useful notes:

• الـ is often pronounced el-
• ج in Egyptian Arabic is usually pronounced like g in go
  • so جنب sounds like gamb
  • and الجامعة starts with ga...
• ق in Egyptian Arabic is often pronounced as a glottal stop ʔ
  • so بتقفل may sound like bitʔafal

Pronunciations vary a bit by speaker, but this is a very normal Egyptian-style reading.

Because Egyptian Arabic is much simpler than Standard Arabic in this area.

In Egyptian Arabic, اللي is the everyday relative word for:

• who
• which
• that

So you can use it with people, places, and things.

For learners, this is good news: you do not need to memorize different relative pronouns for gender and number in normal spoken Egyptian.

It can definitely be used for places, businesses, and institutions when they close for the day.

So:

• المكتبة بتقفل الساعة عشرة = The library closes at ten
• المحل بيقفل بدري = The shop closes early

It can also literally mean to shut something, depending on context.

The sentence breaks down like this:

• المكتبة = the library
• اللي جنب الجامعة = that is next to the university
• بتقفل = closes
• متاخر = late

So the full structure is:

• [subject] + [relative clause] + [verb] + [time/manner word]

In smooth English:

• The library that is next to the university closes late.

Usually, if you want to say the library next to the university, اللي is the most natural everyday Egyptian way.

So:

• المكتبة اللي جنب الجامعة = very natural

In some cases, Arabic can link nouns more tightly without a relative word, but here اللي makes the relationship clear and natural in spoken Egyptian.

For a learner, using اللي in this kind of sentence is the safest and most natural choice.