قلم
ʔalam/qa.lam/Egyptian Arabic, masculine
The English word 'pen' is قلم (ʔalam) in Arabic. Wiktionary also lists قَلَم (qalam) and قَلَم حِبْر (qalam ḥibr).
Meaning: writing tool (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| قلم | ʔalam | /qa.lam/ /ʔa.lam/ (Egyptian) |
Egyptian Arabic, masculine |
| قَلَم | qalam | masculine | |
| قَلَم حِبْر | qalam ḥibr | masculine | |
| ستيلو | stīlu | Moroccan Arabic, masculine |
قَلَم is a general term that refers to any writing instrument, such as a pen, pencil or marker, depending on the context.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase قَلَم حِبْر is a compound noun that literally means 'ink pen', where حِبْر means ink.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Moroccan Arabic, speakers commonly use ستيلو, which is derived from the French word 'stylo', to refer to a pen.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
All listed forms of the word are masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /qa.lam/ (two syllables).
Did you know?
- In the Quran, the word قلم is so significant that an entire chapter, Surah Al-Qalam, is named after it.
- The word قلم is derived from an Arabic verb meaning 'to cut'. This refers to the ancient practice of cutting the tip of a reed to create a writing edge.
Examples in context
- لا يمكنني إيجاد قلمي.I can't find my pen.This sentence is useful for expressing that you cannot find your قلم.Tatoeba #402312 by saeb, translation #321460 by CK
- أخرجت قلماً من جيبها.She took a pen out of her pocket.This sentence is useful for describing someone taking a قلم out of a pocket.Tatoeba #508753 by saeb, translation #312159 by CK
- أيمكنني أن أستخدم قلمك؟Can I use your pen?This sentence is useful for asking to use someone else's قلم.Tatoeba #458138 by saeb, translation #17354 by CK
- أرجو أن تعيرني قلمك لحظةً.I kindly ask if you could lend me your pen for a moment.
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Layla and Omar are sitting in a cafe studying together.
- ليلى Laylaيا عمر، معاك قلم؟ya Omar, ma'ak qalam?Omar, do you have a pen?
- عمر Omarأيوه، اتفضلي.aywa, etfaddali.Yes, here you go.
- ليلى Laylaشكراً جداً.shukran giddan.Thank you so much.
- عمر Omarالعفو.al-afw.You're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pen” translations and entries قلم, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries قلم, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
