Questions & Answers about العمارة اللي ساكنين فيها كبيرة، وفيها بلكونة كبيرة على الشارع.
What does العمارة mean here? Is it just building?
In Egyptian Arabic, العمارة usually means an apartment building or residential building, not just any building in the most general sense.
So in this sentence, it most naturally refers to the building people live in.
It is also a feminine noun, which matters for adjective agreement later.
Why is there no word for is in العمارة ... كبيرة?
Because in Arabic, the verb to be is normally left out in the present tense.
So:
- العمارة كبيرة = The building is big
- literally: the building big
This is completely normal in Egyptian Arabic.
What does اللي mean here?
اللي is the Egyptian Arabic relative word meaning that, which, or who.
So:
- العمارة اللي ساكنين فيها = the building that ... live in
A very important point: in Egyptian Arabic, اللي is used for all genders and numbers.
Unlike Standard Arabic, it does not change form.
Why is it ساكنين? Who is that referring to?