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French Phrase

T'as un stylo ?

/ta‿z‿œ̃ sti.lo/

Meaning"Do you have a pen?"

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Meaning

Literally, “Do you have a pen?” It’s a casual, spoken way to ask someone if they can lend you a pen or if they happen to have one on hand.

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When to use

Use this phrase with friends, classmates, or colleagues in informal settings. It’s perfect in a classroom, a café, or any relaxed environment, but avoid it in formal emails or when speaking to someone you must address with vous.

✦Grammar Breakdown

T'asunstylo?

1

Contraction T'

T' is the contracted form of the subject pronoun tu before a verb starting with a vowel or mute h, e.g., tu as → t'as.

2

Verb avoir (as)

as is the second‑person singular present of avoir, meaning 'you have'.

3

Indefinite article un

un is the masculine singular indefinite article used before a masculine noun like stylo.

4

Noun gender

stylo is a masculine noun; its article and adjectives must agree in gender.

5

Informal yes‑no question

In spoken French, a simple rising intonation after the statement creates a question without needing est‑ce‑que or inversion.

🗨In Conversation

A

T'as un stylo ?

Do you have a pen?

Oui, tiens, il y en a un dans ma poche.

Yes, here you go, I have one in my pocket.

B

✕Common Mistakes

T'es un stylo ?
Uses the verb être (to be) instead of avoir (to have). The correct verb for possession is avoir.
T'as une stylo ?
Stylo is masculine; the indefinite article must be un, not une.
Tu as un stylo ?
While grammatically correct, it sounds less informal than the contracted T'as, which is the typical spoken form among peers.
T'as un stylo.
Missing the rising intonation or question mark can turn the sentence into a statement (“You have a pen”).

↔Alternatives

Est‑ce que tu as un stylo ?
Do you have a pen?
Tu as un stylo ?
Do you have a pen?
Vous avez un stylo ?
Do you have a pen? (formal or plural)
Il y a un stylo ?
Is there a pen?

Cultural Tip

French speakers love contractions in everyday speech; T'as is as common as “got a” in English. While perfectly natural in conversation, write the full form (tu as) in formal writing. Also, never say *une stylo*—stylo is masculine, so the correct article is un.