sken سكن
Algerian Darja · verb
“sken” (سكن) is a verb in Algerian Darja meaning to live, to reside.
Meanings
- to live, to reside
- housing (noun)
Usage
The verb sken (imperfect yeskon) means "to live, to reside" and takes f: sken f Wahran, "he lived in Oran". A common question is win teskon?, "where do you live?". The same root gives the noun sakan, very frequent in Algeria for talking about housing, especially social housing and public programmes; applying for housing is a recurring topic in conversation and in the media. The noun maskan also means a dwelling. Do not confuse it with skat, "to be quiet", which is unrelated.
Example
وين تسكن دركا؟
win teskon dorka ?
“Where do you live now?”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “sken” but also “skon”, “skan” and “yeskon”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.
Type “sken” on the Arabic keyboard
In Moroccan Darija
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Moroccan Darija, where it means “to live, reside”; “to settle somewhere”: sken in Moroccan.
In Tunisian Derja
Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Tunisian Derja, where it means “to live, to reside”; “to settle (in the heart)”: sken in Tunisian.