Relative Clauses: onye
onye + na- + verb: the person who…
How It Works
A clause after onye says who the person is.
| Say | Meaning |
|---|---|
| onye na-eri nri | the person who is eating |
| ndị na-asụ Igbo | the people who speak Igbo |
| Onye na-agụ akwụkwọ bụ Ada. | The person reading is Ada. |
| ndị na-arụ ọrụ | the people who work |
There is no “who” word. Onye itself is the head and na- starts the clause. The verb keeps its a- or e- prefix. For a past action, use a past form of the verb after onye instead of na-.
Examples (4)
- onye na-eri nri
the person who is eating
Onye plus na-.
- ndị na-asụ Igbo
the people who speak Igbo
Ndị for a group.
- Onye na-agụ akwụkwọ bụ Ada.
The person reading is Ada.
In a sentence.
- ndị na-arụ ọrụ
the people who work
Another group.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Onye plus a clause names a person, so the first relative clauses and onye plus a noun come first.
Related Patterns
Words in This Pattern
onyendị
Practice Relative Clauses: onye in Bubblegum
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