kan كان

Algerian Darja · verb

“kan” (كان) is a verb in Algerian Darja meaning was, has been.

Meanings

1. was, has been
2. past habitual auxiliary (kan + imperfective)
3. if (in lukan, kan)

Usage

Kan is the verb "to be" in the past; it is conjugated kont, kanet, kanou. In the present, no verb "to be" is used: one says rani or builds a nominal sentence. Followed by an imperfective verb, kan expresses habit or duration in the past, like the French imparfait (English "used to" or "was ...-ing"): kan yeqra, "he was reading". Followed by a participle, it marks a past state: kan rayah, "he was on his way". It also appears in the conditional lukan, "if": lukan jit, "if you had come". For the future, one says ykoun.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “kan” but also “kane”, “kaan” and “kann”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Type “kan” on the Arabic keyboard

In Moroccan Darija

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “to be (past), he was”; “past auxiliary (used to)”: kan in Moroccan.

In Tunisian Derja

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “was; to be (past)”; “if (condition)”: ken in Tunisian.