stylo
/sti.lo/
The French word stylo means pen.
stylo is used to refer to a pen, specifically a ballpoint or felt-tip pen.
Which one should you use?
While stylo refers to a ballpoint or felt-tip pen, it is distinct from plume, which refers specifically to a fountain pen.
How does it change in a sentence?
stylo is a masculine noun. You can use the indefinite article un for the masculine singular form, un stylo (a pen) and to form the plural, add an s to the end of the word to get les stylos (the pens).
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /sti.lo/.
Did you know?
- French students often use a stylo quatre couleurs, a specific multi-colored pen with four ink options, as a standard tool for note-taking.
- The root of stylo connects back to the Greek word 'stylus', a metal tool used by ancient scribes to engrave letters on wax.
- The word stylo is a shortened version of the longer word stylographe, which was used in the 19th century to describe the mechanical device.
Examples in context
- Je vous prie de me prêter un stylo.Please lend me a pen.
- Tu as un bic ?Do you have a pen?
- Je cherche mon stylo bleu.I am looking for my blue pen.
- Est-ce que je peux emprunter ton stylo ?Can I borrow your pen?
- Le stylo ne marche plus.The pen no longer works.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are sitting at a desk in a classroom.
- ChloéGabriel, tu as un stylo ?Gabriel, do you have a pen?
- GabrielOui, tiens, voilà un stylo.Yes, here, here is a pen.
- ChloéMerci beaucoup pour ton aide.Thank you very much for your help.
- GabrielDe rien, Chloé.You're welcome, Chloé.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry stylo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries stylo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
