Relative Clauses (Tí) in Yoruba

Overview

Relative clauses allow you to modify nouns with descriptive clauses, adding complexity and specificity to your sentences. At the B1 level, mastering the relative clause marker "tí" (that/which/who) is essential for constructing the kind of complex sentences expected at intermediate proficiency. Yoruba relative clauses are introduced by "tí" and follow the noun they modify.

The basic pattern is: Noun + tí + clause. For example, "ọkùnrin tí mo rí" (the man that I saw), "ìwé tí o kà" (the book that you read). The relativized noun (the thing being described) appears before "tí," and the rest of the clause follows. In casual speech, "tí" can sometimes be omitted, but it is always present in formal or careful speech.

Relative clauses interact closely with Yoruba's focus system. The construction "X ni ó..." (It is X who...) is a type of cleft that uses focus and relative clause mechanics together. Understanding relative clauses therefore opens the door to focus constructions, cleft sentences, and the broader information structure of Yoruba, all of which are covered at B2 and above.

How It Works

Pattern: Noun + tí + Subject + Verb (+ Object)

Example	Meaning
Ọkùnrin tí mo rí	The man that I saw
Ìwé tí o kà	The book that you read
Obìnrin tí ń kọrin	The woman who is singing
Ibi tí mo ti wá	The place I came from

Key rules:

1. Tí introduces the relative clause and follows the modified noun.
2. The relativized position in the clause is left empty (gap strategy).
3. Tí can be omitted in casual speech for subject relatives.
4. Tí can combine with other elements: tí ó (who he/she), tí wọ́n (who they).

Examples in Context

Yoruba	English	Note
Ọkùnrin tí mo rí lánàá ti lọ.	The man I saw yesterday has left.	Object relative
Ìwé tí o kà dára.	The book you read is good.	Object relative
Obìnrin tí ń kọrin ni olùkọ́ wa.	The woman who is singing is our teacher.	Subject relative
Ibi tí mo ti wá ni ilé mi.	The place I came from is my home.	Locative relative
Oúnjẹ tí wọ́n ṣe dùn.	The food they made is delicious.	Object relative
Ọmọ tí ó jókòó níbẹ̀ ni ọmọ mi.	The child sitting there is my child.	Subject relative
Ilé tí a kọ́ tóbi.	The house we built is big.	Agent relative
Ẹni tí ó mọ̀, ó mọ̀.	He who knows, knows.	Generic relative
Àkókò tí a fi ṣe é kò tó.	The time we used to do it was not enough.	Time relative
Ohun tí ó ṣẹlẹ̀ buru.	What happened is bad.	Free relative

Common Mistakes

Omitting tí in Formal Contexts

• Wrong: Ọkùnrin mo rí lánàá (dropping tí in formal speech)
• Right: Ọkùnrin tí mo rí lánàá (The man that I saw yesterday)
• Why: While tí can be dropped in casual speech, it should be present in careful, formal, or written Yoruba.

Wrong Position of the Relative Clause

• Wrong: Tí mo rí ọkùnrin lánàá (putting relative before noun)
• Right: Ọkùnrin tí mo rí lánàá (noun first, then relative)
• Why: The modified noun always comes before tí and its clause.

Resumptive Pronouns Where Not Needed

• Wrong: Ọkùnrin tí mo rí ún lánàá (adding "ún" = him back in)
• Right: Ọkùnrin tí mo rí lánàá (gap where the object would be)
• Why: Yoruba relative clauses use a gap strategy -- the relativized element is absent from its position in the clause.

Usage Notes

At the B1 level, focus on object and subject relatives, which are the most common types. Locative relatives (ibi tí = the place where) and temporal relatives (nígbà tí = the time when) are also frequent. More complex relative constructions involving multiple embedding are covered at C1.

Practice Tips

1. Transform simple sentences into relative clauses: "Mo rí ọkùnrin. Ọkùnrin náà lọ." → "Ọkùnrin tí mo rí ti lọ." (The man I saw has left.)
2. Practice with common question-answer patterns: "Ta ni ó ṣe é?" (Who did it?) → "Ẹni tí ó ṣe é ni Adé." (The one who did it is Ade.)
3. Read and identify relative clauses: In Yoruba texts, look for tí and identify the noun it modifies and the clause it introduces.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Basic Sentence Structure (SVO) -- relative clauses modify SVO sentences
• Next steps: Focus and Cleft Constructions -- tí in focus constructions
• Next steps: Complex Clause Structures -- multiple embedded clauses
• Next steps: Proverbs and Idiomatic Expressions -- relative clauses in proverbs