noun
pen, pencil, stylus
A2
Stift: a masculine noun meaning 'pen', 'pencil' or 'stylus'. Gender: der Stift. Plural: Stifte. Declines regularly (die Stifte, dem Stift). Use 'Stift' for writing instruments broadly; context decides which type. No special preposition. Often used in schools and offices.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.EXAMPLES
Ich habe meinen Stift gespitzt, bevor ich das Bild gezeichnet habe.
I sharpened my pencil before drawing the picture.
Der Stift liegt auf dem Tisch.
The pen is on the table.
Für das Tablet benutze ich einen speziellen Stift als Eingabegerät.
I use a special stylus for the tablet.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.DETAILS_LABEL
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.MNEMONICS
Picture a pen standing upright like a small pillar (a 'stift' can look like a little stake).
Sounds a bit like 'stiff' — imagine a stiff pen in your hand.
der = imagine a masculine pen wearing a little mustache to remember 'der Stift'.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.NOTES
Stift is a general word for writing instruments; commonly it means 'pen' but can also refer to a pencil or a stylus depending on context. For a pencil specifically, Germans often say 'Bleistift'. In some technical contexts 'Stift' can mean a pin or peg.