ken كان

Tunisian Derja · verb

“ken” (كان) is a verb in Tunisian Derja meaning was; to be (past).

Meanings

1. was; to be (past)
2. if (condition)
3. only, nothing but

Usage

Ken (or kan) has several uses, and context tells them apart. As a verb, it is the past of "to be": "ken mriedh" (he was ill), "kont fi dar" (I was at home). It also serves as an auxiliary for the imperfect: "ken yekhdem" (he used to work). As a conjunction, it means "if": "ken tji, nestannek" (if you come, I'll wait for you). After a negation, it means "only" or "nothing but": "ma 3andi ken dinar" (I only have one dinar). This last use is very Tunisian and often surprises learners.

Example

How to write it in Latin letters

In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “ken” but also “kan”, “kén”, “kn”, “kene” and “kin”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.

Type “ken” 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 Algerian Darja

Spelt the same way in Arabic, the word also exists in Algerian Darja, where it means “was, has been”; “past habitual auxiliary (kan + imperfective)”: kan in Algerian.