kanch كانش
Tunisian Derja · verb
“kanch” (كانش) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning (he) was not, there was not.
Meanings
- (he) was not, there was not
Usage
Kanch is the negative form of the verb kan, "to be" in the past. It is always used with ma, giving ma kanch, "he was not" or "there was not". Tunisian negation wraps around the verb: ma before, -ch after, like the French "ne… pas". Examples: ma kanch mawjoud, "he wasn't there"; ma kanch ghodwa, "it wasn't tomorrow". For the other persons, one says ma kontech ("I / you weren't"), ma kanetch ("she wasn't"), ma kanouch ("they weren't"). In speech, ma is often reduced: m'kanch.
Example
البارح ما كانش في الدار
lbare7 ma kanch fi dar
“Yesterday, he wasn't at home.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “kanch” but also “kench”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.