walou ken ولوكان
Tunisian Derja · conjunction
“walou ken” (ولوكان) is a conjunction in Tunisian Derja meaning even if.
Meanings
- even if
- even though, even were
Usage
Walou kén (often pronounced "wlou kén") introduces a strong concession: "even if", "even though". The form is made up of "w", "lou" and "kén". It goes before the clause and combines well with a negation: "ma n7ebbouch walou kén ya3tini flous" (I don't want it even if he gives me money). The verb is past or present depending on context, with no subjunctive. Pitfall for an English speaker: "lou kén" alone expresses a condition ("if"). It is the initial "w" that adds the concessive meaning.
Example
نمشي ولوكان تصبّ المطر.
nemchi walou ken tsob el mtar.
“I'll go even if it rains.”
How to write it in Latin letters
In Arabizi, Darija written in Latin letters, you will find “walou ken” but also “wlou ken”, “w lou kan”, “walaw ken” and “welou ken”. No spelling is official: people write the sounds as they hear them.