Scotland · verb and noun
ken
To know, understand, recognise, or be aware of.
Uses your device’s built-in voice. Pronunciation is approximate because available voices and Scottish accents vary.
What ken means
Ken is a Scots verb meaning to know. It can refer to knowing a fact, understanding a situation, recognising a person, or being familiar with something.
How it is used
Common forms include ken, kent for the past tense, and kenna for do not know in Scots. In mixed Scottish English, speakers may use ken inside an otherwise English sentence.
- Part of speech
- verb and noun
- Pronunciation
- /kɛn/
- Register
- Everyday Scots; also familiar in informal Scottish English.
- Variants
- kenn
Examples
Each example is followed by its intended plain-English meaning.
Do you ken where the station is?
Do you know where the station is?
I kent the answer yesterday.
I knew the answer yesterday.
What to watch for
The Scots past tense is commonly kent, not kenned in every variety. Forms vary, so a single spelling should not be treated as universal.