📚 School Supplies

⏱ 16 min read

In this lesson you will learn useful English vocabulary and everyday expressions for talking about school supplies, classroom materials, organizing your schoolwork, and asking to borrow or use supplies in class. Each English word or phrase includes a simple meaning plus translations in several languages.

🟢 Basic School Supply Vocabulary

✏️ Pencil
a tool for writing that you can erase
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Lápiz
🇫🇷 French: Crayon
🇩🇪 German: Bleistift
🇮🇹 Italian: Matita
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Lápis
🖊️ Pen
a tool for writing with ink
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Bolígrafo
🇫🇷 French: Stylo
🇩🇪 German: Kugelschreiber
🇮🇹 Italian: Penna
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Caneta
📓 Notebook
a book of blank pages for notes
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Cuaderno
🇫🇷 French: Cahier
🇩🇪 German: Heft / Notizbuch
🇮🇹 Italian: Quaderno
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Caderno
📚 Book
a printed text used for reading or study
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Libro
🇫🇷 French: Livre
🇩🇪 German: Buch
🇮🇹 Italian: Libro
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Livro
🎒 Backpack
a bag you wear on your back for books
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Mochila
🇫🇷 French: Sac à dos
🇩🇪 German: Rucksack
🇮🇹 Italian: Zaino
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Mochila
📏 Ruler
a straight tool used to measure and draw lines
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Regla
🇫🇷 French: Règle
🇩🇪 German: Lineal
🇮🇹 Italian: Righello
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Régua

🟡 Classroom Supply Vocabulary

🧽 Eraser
something used to remove pencil marks
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Borrador / Goma
🇫🇷 French: Gomme
🇩🇪 German: Radiergummi
🇮🇹 Italian: Gomma
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Borracha
✂️ Scissors
a tool with two blades used for cutting
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Tijeras
🇫🇷 French: Ciseaux
🇩🇪 German: Schere
🇮🇹 Italian: Forbici
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Tesoura
🖍️ Marker
a pen with a thick tip for writing or coloring
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Marcador / Rotulador
🇫🇷 French: Marqueur
🇩🇪 German: Marker / Filzstift
🇮🇹 Italian: Pennarello
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Marcador
📄 Paper
thin sheets used for writing or printing
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Papel
🇫🇷 French: Papier
🇩🇪 German: Papier
🇮🇹 Italian: Carta
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Papel
🖇️ Stapler
a tool that joins papers with metal staples
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Grapadora
🇫🇷 French: Agrafeuse
🇩🇪 German: Hefter
🇮🇹 Italian: Spillatrice
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Grampeador
🧴 Glue
a sticky material used to join things together
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Pegamento
🇫🇷 French: Colle
🇩🇪 German: Klebstoff / Kleber
🇮🇹 Italian: Colla
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Cola

🔵 Organization & Study Supplies

📁 Folder
a cover used to keep papers together
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Carpeta
🇫🇷 French: Dossier / Chemise
🇩🇪 German: Ordner / Mappe
🇮🇹 Italian: Cartella
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Pasta
🗂️ Binder
a ring folder that holds many papers
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Archivador / Carpeta de anillas
🇫🇷 French: Classeur
🇩🇪 German: Ordner
🇮🇹 Italian: Raccoglitore
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Fichário / Pasta de argolas
🖍️ Highlighter
a bright marker used to mark important text
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Resaltador / Subrayador
🇫🇷 French: Surligneur
🇩🇪 German: Textmarker
🇮🇹 Italian: Evidenziatore
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Marcador de texto / Grifo
📝 Sticky note
a small paper that sticks to a page or desk
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Nota adhesiva
🇫🇷 French: Post-it / Note adhésive
🇩🇪 German: Haftnotiz
🇮🇹 Italian: Post-it / Foglietto adesivo
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Nota adesiva / Post-it
🧮 Calculator
a small device used to do math
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Calculadora
🇫🇷 French: Calculatrice
🇩🇪 German: Taschenrechner
🇮🇹 Italian: Calcolatrice
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Calculadora
🖊️ Pencil case
a small bag for pens, pencils, and erasers
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Estuche
🇫🇷 French: Trousse
🇩🇪 German: Federmäppchen
🇮🇹 Italian: Astuccio
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Estojo

🧠 Talking About School Supplies

💡 Use need to talk about supplies you need.
I need a new notebook for science class.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Necesito un cuaderno nuevo para la clase de ciencias.
🇫🇷 J'ai besoin d'un nouveau cahier pour le cours de sciences.
🇩🇪 Ich brauche ein neues Heft für den Naturwissenschaftsunterricht.
🇮🇹 Ho bisogno di un nuovo quaderno per la lezione di scienze.
🇵🇹 Preciso de um caderno novo para a aula de ciências.
We need paper and glue for the project.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Necesitamos papel y pegamento para el proyecto.
🇫🇷 Nous avons besoin de papier et de colle pour le projet.
🇩🇪 Wir brauchen Papier und Klebstoff für das Projekt.
🇮🇹 Abbiamo bisogno di carta e colla per il progetto.
🇵🇹 Precisamos de papel e cola para o projeto.
💡 Use Can you lend me…? to ask someone if you can borrow something.
Can you lend me a pencil?
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 ¿Me prestas un lápiz?
🇫🇷 Tu peux me prêter un crayon ?
🇩🇪 Kannst du mir einen Bleistift leihen?
🇮🇹 Mi presti una matita?
🇵🇹 Você pode me emprestar um lápis?
Can you lend me your calculator?
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 ¿Me prestas tu calculadora?
🇫🇷 Tu peux me prêter ta calculatrice ?
🇩🇪 Kannst du mir deinen Taschenrechner leihen?
🇮🇹 Mi presti la tua calcolatrice?
🇵🇹 Você pode me emprestar a sua calculadora?
💡 Use Do you have…? to ask whether someone has a school supply you need.
Do you have an extra pen?
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 ¿Tienes un bolígrafo extra?
🇫🇷 Tu as un stylo en plus ?
🇩🇪 Hast du einen extra Kugelschreiber?
🇮🇹 Hai una penna in più?
🇵🇹 Você tem uma caneta extra?
I don't have enough paper.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 No tengo suficiente papel.
🇫🇷 Je n'ai pas assez de papier.
🇩🇪 Ich habe nicht genug Papier.
🇮🇹 Non ho abbastanza carta.
🇵🇹 Não tenho papel suficiente.

❓ Useful School Supply Questions

✏️ Can you lend me a pencil?
asking to borrow a pencil
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Me prestas un lápiz?
🇫🇷 French: Tu peux me prêter un crayon ?
🇩🇪 German: Kannst du mir einen Bleistift leihen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Mi presti una matita?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você pode me emprestar um lápis?
📄 Do you have a sheet of paper?
asking if someone has one piece of paper
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Tienes una hoja de papel?
🇫🇷 French: Tu as une feuille de papier ?
🇩🇪 German: Hast du ein Blatt Papier?
🇮🇹 Italian: Hai un foglio di carta?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Você tem uma folha de papel?
✂️ Can I use the scissors?
asking permission to use the scissors
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Puedo usar las tijeras?
🇫🇷 French: Je peux utiliser les ciseaux ?
🇩🇪 German: Darf ich die Schere benutzen?
🇮🇹 Italian: Posso usare le forbici?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Posso usar a tesoura?
🧮 Do we need a calculator for class?
asking if a calculator is required
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Necesitamos una calculadora para la clase?
🇫🇷 French: Avons-nous besoin d'une calculatrice pour le cours ?
🇩🇪 German: Brauchen wir einen Taschenrechner für den Unterricht?
🇮🇹 Italian: Abbiamo bisogno di una calcolatrice per la lezione?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Precisamos de uma calculadora para a aula?
📚 Where is my math book?
asking for the location of your book
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿Dónde está mi libro de matemáticas?
🇫🇷 French: Où est mon livre de maths ?
🇩🇪 German: Wo ist mein Mathematikbuch?
🇮🇹 Italian: Dov'è il mio libro di matematica?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Onde está o meu livro de matemática?
📁 Which folder do I put these papers in?
asking which folder should hold the papers
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: ¿En qué carpeta guardo estos papeles?
🇫🇷 French: Dans quel dossier je mets ces papiers ?
🇩🇪 German: In welchen Ordner lege ich diese Papiere?
🇮🇹 Italian: In quale cartella metto questi fogli?
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Em que pasta eu coloco estes papéis?

💬 Common School Supply Phrases

🎒 I always carry my books and notebooks in my backpack.
your bag is where you keep books and notebooks
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Siempre llevo mis libros y cuadernos en la mochila.
🇫🇷 French: Je porte toujours mes livres et cahiers dans mon sac à dos.
🇩🇪 German: Ich trage meine Bücher und Hefte immer in meinem Rucksack.
🇮🇹 Italian: Porto sempre i miei libri e quaderni nello zaino.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu sempre levo meus livros e cadernos na mochila.
✏️ I forgot my pencil, so I need to borrow one.
you left your pencil at home and must use someone else's
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Se me olvidó el lápiz, así que necesito pedir uno prestado.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai oublié mon crayon, donc j'ai besoin d'en emprunter un.
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe meinen Bleistift vergessen, also muss ich mir einen ausleihen.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho dimenticato la matita, quindi ho bisogno di prenderne una in prestito.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu esqueci o lápis, então preciso emprestar um.
📁 I keep my notes from each class in a different folder.
each subject has its own folder
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Guardo mis apuntes de cada clase en una carpeta diferente.
🇫🇷 French: Je range mes notes de chaque cours dans un dossier différent.
🇩🇪 German: Ich bewahre meine Notizen von jedem Unterricht in einem anderen Ordner auf.
🇮🇹 Italian: Conservo i miei appunti di ogni lezione in una cartella diversa.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu guardo as minhas anotações de cada aula em uma pasta diferente.
🖍️ I use a highlighter to mark the most important information.
you color the key parts so they stand out
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Uso un resaltador para marcar la información más importante.
🇫🇷 French: J'utilise un surligneur pour marquer les informations les plus importantes.
🇩🇪 German: Ich benutze einen Textmarker, um die wichtigsten Informationen zu markieren.
🇮🇹 Italian: Uso un evidenziatore per segnare le informazioni più importanti.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu uso um marcador de texto para marcar as informações mais importantes.

💬 Everyday Conversations

Borrowing a school supply
asking a classmate to lend you a pencil
A: Do you have an extra pencil? I forgot mine at home.
B: Yes, I have one in my pencil case.
A: Thanks. I'll give it back to you after class.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Tienes un lápiz extra? Olvidé el mío en casa.
🇪🇸 B: Sí, tengo uno en mi estuche.
🇪🇸 A: Gracias. Te lo devuelvo después de la clase.

🇫🇷 A: Tu as un crayon en plus ? J'ai oublié le mien à la maison.
🇫🇷 B: Oui, j'en ai un dans ma trousse.
🇫🇷 A: Merci. Je te le rends après le cours.

🇩🇪 A: Hast du einen extra Bleistift? Ich habe meinen zu Hause vergessen.
🇩🇪 B: Ja, ich habe einen in meinem Federmäppchen.
🇩🇪 A: Danke. Ich gebe ihn dir nach dem Unterricht zurück.

🇮🇹 A: Hai una matita in più? Ho dimenticato la mia a casa.
🇮🇹 B: Sì, ne ho una nel mio astuccio.
🇮🇹 A: Grazie. Te la restituisco dopo la lezione.

🇵🇹 A: Você tem um lápis extra? Eu esqueci o meu em casa.
🇵🇹 B: Sim, eu tenho um no meu estojo.
🇵🇹 A: Obrigado. Eu te devolvo depois da aula.
Preparing for a project
deciding which materials each person will bring
A: What do we need for the project?
B: We need paper, scissors, glue, and several markers.
A: Perfect. I can bring the scissors and the glue.
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 A: ¿Qué necesitamos para el proyecto?
🇪🇸 B: Necesitamos papel, tijeras, pegamento y varios marcadores.
🇪🇸 A: Perfecto. Yo puedo traer las tijeras y el pegamento.

🇫🇷 A: De quoi avons-nous besoin pour le projet ?
🇫🇷 B: Nous avons besoin de papier, de ciseaux, de colle et de plusieurs marqueurs.
🇫🇷 A: Parfait. Je peux apporter les ciseaux et la colle.

🇩🇪 A: Was brauchen wir für das Projekt?
🇩🇪 B: Wir brauchen Papier, eine Schere, Klebstoff und mehrere Marker.
🇩🇪 A: Perfekt. Ich kann die Schere und den Klebstoff mitbringen.

🇮🇹 A: Di cosa abbiamo bisogno per il progetto?
🇮🇹 B: Abbiamo bisogno di carta, forbici, colla e diversi pennarelli.
🇮🇹 A: Perfetto. Posso portare le forbici e la colla.

🇵🇹 A: O que precisamos para o projeto?
🇵🇹 B: Precisamos de papel, tesoura, cola e vários marcadores.
🇵🇹 A: Perfeito. Eu posso trazer a tesoura e a cola.

📝 Example Sentences

📓 I bought a new notebook to better organize my science notes.
a new notebook helps keep science notes in order
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Compré un cuaderno nuevo para organizar mejor mis apuntes de ciencias.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai acheté un nouveau cahier pour mieux organiser mes notes de sciences.
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe ein neues Heft gekauft, um meine Naturwissenschaftsnotizen besser zu organisieren.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho comprato un nuovo quaderno per organizzare meglio i miei appunti di scienze.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu comprei um caderno novo para organizar melhor as minhas anotações de ciências.
✂️ We used the scissors and glue to prepare the art project.
cutting and sticking were part of the project
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Usamos las tijeras y el pegamento para preparar el proyecto de arte.
🇫🇷 French: Nous avons utilisé les ciseaux et la colle pour préparer le projet d'art.
🇩🇪 German: Wir haben die Schere und den Klebstoff benutzt, um das Kunstprojekt vorzubereiten.
🇮🇹 Italian: Abbiamo usato le forbici e la colla per preparare il progetto di arte.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Usamos a tesoura e a cola para preparar o projeto de arte.
🖍️ I marked the most important ideas in my notes with a highlighter.
the key ideas are now easy to see
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Marqué las ideas más importantes de mis apuntes con un resaltador.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai souligné les idées les plus importantes de mes notes avec un surligneur.
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe die wichtigsten Ideen in meinen Notizen mit einem Textmarker markiert.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho evidenziato le idee più importanti dei miei appunti con un evidenziatore.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu marquei as ideias mais importantes das minhas anotações com um marcador de texto.
📁 I put all the class papers in a folder so I wouldn't lose them.
the folder keeps the papers together
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Guardé todos los papeles de la clase en una carpeta para no perderlos.
🇫🇷 French: J'ai mis tous les papiers du cours dans un dossier pour ne pas les perdre.
🇩🇪 German: Ich habe alle Unterrichtspapiere in einen Ordner gesteckt, damit ich sie nicht verliere.
🇮🇹 Italian: Ho messo tutti i fogli della lezione in una cartella per non perderli.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: Eu coloquei todos os papéis da aula em uma pasta para não perdê-los.
🎒 My backpack was so full of books that there was almost no room for the pencil case.
the bag had little space left
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: Mi mochila estaba tan llena de libros que casi no había espacio para el estuche.
🇫🇷 French: Mon sac à dos était si plein de livres qu'il n'y avait presque plus de place pour la trousse.
🇩🇪 German: Mein Rucksack war so voll mit Büchern, dass fast kein Platz mehr für das Federmäppchen war.
🇮🇹 Italian: Il mio zaino era così pieno di libri che non c'era quasi più spazio per l'astuccio.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: A minha mochila estava tão cheia de livros que quase não havia espaço para o estojo.
🧮 The teacher told us that we could use a calculator during the exercise.
calculators were allowed for that task
Show translationsHide translations🇪🇸 Spanish: El profesor nos dijo que podíamos usar una calculadora durante el ejercicio.
🇫🇷 French: Le professeur nous a dit que nous pouvions utiliser une calculatrice pendant l'exercice.
🇩🇪 German: Der Lehrer sagte uns, dass wir während der Übung einen Taschenrechner benutzen dürfen.
🇮🇹 Italian: L'insegnante ci ha detto che potevamo usare una calcolatrice durante l'esercizio.
🇵🇹 Portuguese: O professor nos disse que podíamos usar uma calculadora durante o exercício.

🏆 Final Practice

English in the Real World:

Read the situation. Choose the best word or phrase from the lesson.
Question 1 of 8
✅ Correct: 0
❓ Questions: 0
🎯 Accuracy: 0%