लेखनी
lekhnī/leː.kʰə.niː/feminine
The English phrase pen can be translated into Hindi using लेखनी (lekhnī), क़लम or पेन.
Meaning: writing tool (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| लेखनी | lekhnī | /leː.kʰə.niː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| क़लम | qalam | /qə.ləm/ (Hindi, Standard) /kə.ləm/ (Hindi, Standard) |
feminine |
| पेन | pen | /peːn/ (Hindi, Standard) | masculine |
All three forms refer to a writing tool.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ in register and scope. पेन is the most common way to refer to a pen in everyday spoken Hindi. क़लम is a more formal or literary term, often used in writing or more sophisticated contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms have different grammatical genders. लेखनी and क़लम are feminine, while the transliterated पेन is masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
lekhnī is pronounced /leː.kʰə.niː/ and has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The term क़लम is a linguistic traveler that moved from Ancient Greek to Arabic, then to Persian, before entering Hindi.
- In Hindi, the word क़लम is used in idioms about skill and power, such as having a 'strong' क़लम to describe a powerful writer.
- The Sanskrit root of लेखनी relates to the act of 'writing' itself, making the word literally an 'instrument of writing'.
Examples in context
- टॉम को एक पेन मिला।He found a pen.This sentence shows the use of पेन to express finding a pen.Tatoeba #13688800 by sabretou, translation #8477763 by CH
- उसके पास एक भी पेन नहीं था।He didn't have a single pen.This sentence shows the use of पेन to express not having a single pen.Tatoeba #3795580 by sabretou, translation #1460170 by piksea
- मैंने वहाँ राम को एक कलम दी।I gave Ram a pen.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Aditya and Priya are in a classroom.
- आदित्य Adityaप्रिया, क्या तुम्हारे पास एक लेखनी है?Priyā, kyā tumhāre pās ek lekhanī hai?Priya, do you have a pen?
- प्रिया Priyaहाँ, मेरे पास दो हैं।hān, mere pās do hain.Yes, I have two.
- आदित्य Adityaक्या मैं एक लेखनी उधार ले सकता हूँ?kyā maiñ ek lekhanī udhār le saktā hūn?Can I borrow a pen?
- प्रिया Priyaहाँ, यह लो।hān, yeh lo.Yes, here it is.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pen” translations and entries लेखनी, क़लम, पेन, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries क़लम, पेन, लेखनी, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
