كان
kāna/kaː.na/
In Arabic, 'was' is expressed by the verb كان (kāna).
The verb كان is used to express the past tense of 'to be'. Unlike English, it is often used to introduce a predicate that describes a state or an action that was ongoing.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the verb changes depending on the subject. For a feminine subject, use كانت. For a masculine plural group, use كانوا. If you are saying 'I was', use كنتُ. For the second-person masculine singular 'you were', use كنتَ and for the second-person feminine singular 'you were', use كنتِ.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of kāna is /kaː.na/.
Did you know?
- When كان is used in a sentence, it often triggers a grammatical change called 'nasb', where the predicate becomes accusative, changing its ending vowel.
- The root of كان is linked to the ancient Proto-Semitic concept of existing in a specific place or location.
- The verb كان can be used to create a 'conditional' or 'hypothetical' sense when paired with certain particles, effectively turning 'was' into 'would have been'.
Examples in context
- كان توم قد مات.Tom was already dead.This sentence shows how to use كان to state that someone was already dead.Tatoeba #11644702 by dididodo, translation #4630550 by Amastan
- هل كان حقا مملا؟Was he really boring?This sentence demonstrates asking a question using كان to check if someone was boring.Tatoeba #1584844 by Amastan, translation #1219672 by wallebot
- كان سامي في خطر.Sami was in danger.This sentence uses كان to describe a person being in danger.Tatoeba #6982551 by OsoHombre, translation #6577637 by OsoHombre
- كان سَعِيدًاHe was happy.
- كَانَت تَدْرُسُShe was studying.
- كَانَتْ مُرْهَقَةًShe was tired.
- كُنْت في السوقI was in the market.
- كُنَّا عَلى الشاطِئWe were at the beach.
- 2241 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ziad and Layla are discussing an old movie they watched.
- زياد Ziadهل كان الفيلم طويلا؟hal kana al-film tawilan?Was the movie long?
- ليلى Laylaنعم، كان الفيلم طويلا جدا.na'am, kana al-film tawilan jiddan.Yes, the movie was very long.
- زياد Ziadهل كان ممتعا؟hal kana mumti'an?Was it interesting?
- ليلى Laylaكان ممتعا لكنه كان بطيئا.kana mumti'an lakinahu kana bati'an.It was interesting, but it was slow.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry كان, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries كان, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
