achkoun اشكون
Algerian Darja · pronoun
“achkoun” (اشكون) is a pronoun in Algerian Darja meaning who? (interrogative).
Meanings
- who? (interrogative)
- whoever, the one who
Usage
Achkoun is the interrogative pronoun "who". It is very common in Algeria, alongside the short form chkoun. It is placed at the start of the sentence: achkoun ja ?, "who came?". On social media, the phrase achkoun kifi… is used to ask "who is like me…?" or "who else…?". For an English speaker, do not confuse achkoun with wach, which means "what" or introduces a yes/no question. The register is neutral and it is used everywhere in speech.
Example
أشكون جا؟
achkoun ja?
“Who came?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “achkoun” but also “chkoun”, “ashkoun”, “chkon” and “achkon”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “achkoun” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
The same word also exists in Moroccan Darija, written شكون, where it means “who (interrogative)”; “who (indirect question)”: chkoun in Moroccan.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “who? (interrogative)”: achkoun in Tunisian.