Python Keywords

Last Updated : 14 Feb 2026

Python keywords are reserved words used for specific purposes that have specific meanings and functions, and these keywords cannot be used for anything other than their specific use. These keywords are always available in Python, which means you don't need to import them into the code.

List of Python Keywords

The following is the list of 35 keywords available in Python

False	await	else	import	pass
None	break	except	in	raise
True	class	finally	is	return
and	continue	for	lambda	try
as	def	from	nonlocal	while
assert	del	global	not	with
async	elif	if	or	yield

Let us discuss these keywords with the help of examples.

Control Flow Keywords

These Python keywords are utilized for decision-making and looping.

Conditional Statements - if, elif, else

These keywords are used to execute different blocks on the basis of conditions.

Keyword	Description
if	This keyword is used to execute a block if the condition is True.
elif	This keyword is used to specify additional conditions if the previous ones fail.
else	This keyword is used to execute a block if all previous conditions are False.

Let us see an example showing how to use these keywords.

Example

# use of if, elif, else keywords

# initializing a variable
a = 20

# checking if the variable is greater than, equal to, or less than 20
if a > 20:
    print("Greater than 20")
elif a == 20:
    print("Equal to 20")
else:
    print("Less than 20")

Execute Now

Output:

Equal to 20

Explanation:

In the above example, we have initialized a variable and used the conditional statement keywords like if, elif, and else to check for the given condition and execute the code accordingly.

Looping Construct - for, while

These keywords are used to execute code repeatedly.

Keyword	Description
for	This keyword is used to iterate over a sequence, such as list, tuple, dictionary, etc.
while	This keyword is used to repeat execution while a condition remains True.

Let us see an example showing how to use these keywords.

Example

# use of for, while keywords

# defining a list
shopping_bag = ['apples', 'bread', 'eggs', 'milk', 'coffee beans', 'tomatoes']
print("Given List:", shopping_bag)

print("\nIterating Over List using 'for' Loop:")
# iterating over the list using for loop
for item in shopping_bag:
    print(item)

print("\nIterating Over List using 'while' Loop:")
# iterating over the list using while loop
index = 0
while index < len(shopping_bag):
    print(shopping_bag[index])
    index += 1

Execute Now

Output:

Given List: ['apples', 'bread', 'eggs', 'milk', 'coffee beans', 'tomatoes']

Iterating Over List using 'for' Loop:
apples
bread
eggs
milk
coffee beans
tomatoes

Iterating Over List using 'while' Loop:
apples
bread
eggs
milk
coffee beans
tomatoes

Explanation:

In the above example, we have initialized a list and make use of the looping constructs like for and while to iterate over it.

Loop Control - break, continue, pass

The keywords under this classification are used to change the flow of execution inside a loop.

Keyword	Description
break	This keyword immediately exits the loop.
continue	This keyword is used to skip the current iteration and moves to the next.
pass	This keyword acts as a placeholder (does nothing).

Let us see an example showing how to use these keywords.

Example

# use of break, continue, pass keywords

for i in range(20):
  if i == 14:
    break  # terminating the loop completely when i is 14
  if i % 2 == 0:
    continue  # skipping the rest of the loop for even numbers
  if i == 9:
    pass  # does nothing

  print(i)

Execute Now

Output:

Explanation:

In the above example, we have created a 'for' loop to print the numbers ranging from 0 to 20. Inside this loop, we have used the loop control keywords to change the flow of execution inside the loop. For instance, we have used the break keyword to terminate the entire loop when i becomes 14. The continue keyword is used to skips the loop for even numbers. We have used the pass keyword as a placeholder where the code can be added later.

Function and Class Definition Keywords

The keywords under this category are used to define functions, classes, and return values.

Keyword	Description
def	This keyword is used to define a function.
return	This keyword is used to return a value from a function.
yield	This keyword returns a generator object.
lambda	This keyword is used to define anonymous function.
class	This keyword allows us to define a class.

Let us see some examples showing how to use these keywords.

Example: Use of def Keyword

Let's consider an example to demonstrate the def keyword in Python.

Example

# use of def keyword

# defining a function
def greeting():
  print("Welcome to Tpoint Tech!")

# calling the function
greeting()

Execute Now

Output:

Welcome to Tpoint Tech!

Explanation:

In the above example, we have defined a function to print a simple statement using the def keyword.

Example: Use of return and yield Keyword

Let's take an example to demonstrate the return and yield keyword in Python.

Example

# use of return, yield keywords

# defining a function to add numbers
def add_numbers(num1, num2):
  # using return keyword
  return num1 + num2

# defining a function to generate number
def generate_number(num1):
  for i in range(num1):
    # using yield keyword
    yield i

# printing results
print("Addition of 12 and 5 is", add_numbers(12, 5))

for i in generate_number(5):
  print("Generated Number:", i)

Execute Now

Output:

Addition of 12 and 5 is 17
Generated Number: 0
Generated Number: 1
Generated Number: 2
Generated Number: 3
Generated Number: 4

Explanation:

In the above example, we have defined a function as add_numbers(), where we have used the return keyword to return the sum of the numbers passed to it. We have then defined another function as generate_number(), where we have used the yield keyword to return the generator object containing the list of numbers generated.

Example: Use of lambda Keyword

Let us take an example to demonstrate the lambda keyword in Python.

Example

# use of lambda keyword

# anonymous function using lambda
square_of_num = lambda num: num * num

# printing the result
print("Square of 12 is", square_of_num(12))

Execute Now

Output:

Square of 12 is 144

Explanation:

In the above example, we have used the lambda keyword to define anonymous function to return the square of the number passed to it.

Example: Use of class Keyword

Let's take an example to demonstrate the class keyword in Python.

Example

# use of class keyword

# declaring a user-defined class using class keyword
class Employer:
  name = "Tpoint Tech"
  industry = "Education"

Explanation:

In this example, we have used the class keyword to declare a user-defined class using the keyword called class.

Exception Handling Keywords

The keywords under this category are used to handle errors and exceptions.

Keyword	Description
try	This keyword is used to define a block to catch errors
except	This keyword is used to handle exceptions
finally	This keyword helps execute after try-except
raise	This keyword is used to raise an exception manually
assert	This keyword is used to define debugging statement

Let us see an example showing how to use these keywords.

Example

# use of try, except, finally, raise, assert keyword

def func_one(x):
  try:
    assert x > 0, "x must be a positive number"  # AssertionError if x <= 0
    result = 10 / x  # Might raise ZeroDivisionError
  except ZeroDivisionError:
    print("Error: Division by zero")
    result = float('inf')  # handling error
    raise  # re-raising the error
  except AssertionError as e:
    print(f"Assertion Error: {e}")
    result = None
  finally:
    print("This will always execute")
  return result

# printing results
print("For x = 6:", func_one(6), "\n")
print("For x = 0:", func_one(0), "\n")
print("For x = -6:", func_one(-6), "\n")

Execute Now

Output:

This will always execute
For x = 6: 1.6666666666666667 

Assertion Error: x must be a positive number
This will always execute
For x = 0: None 

Assertion Error: x must be a positive number
This will always execute
For x = -6: None

Explanation:

In the above example, we have defined a function. Inside this function, we have used the keywords like try, except, finally, raise, and assert to handle the different errors and exceptions that might raise during the execution of the function.

Variable Scope and Namespace Keywords

The keywords under this category are used for variable access and modification.

Keyword	Description
global	This keyword is used to declare a global variable
nonlocal	This keyword is used to modify parent function variables

Let us see some examples showing how to use these keywords.

Example: Use of global Keyword

Let's take an example to demonstrate the global keyword in Python.

Example

# use of global keyword

# initializing p as 12
p = 12

# defining a function
def func_one():
  # using global keyword to declare p as global variable
  global p
  # updating the value of p to 19
  p = 19

# printing results
func_one()
print(p)

Execute Now

Output:

Explanation:

In the above example, we have initialized a variable and defined a function. Inside this function, we have used the global keyword to declare the initialized variable as global and updated its value.

Example: Use of nonlocal Keyword

Let's consider an example to demonstrate the nonlocal keyword in Python.

Example

# use of nonlocal keyword

# defining an outer function
def func_outer():
  # initializing p as 13
  p = 13
  # defining an inner function
  def func_inner():
    nonlocal p  # accessing the 'p' from the outer function
    # updating the value of p to 25
    p = 25
    print("Inner function:", p)

  # calling the inner function
  func_inner()
  print("Outer function:", p)

# calling the outer function
func_outer()

Execute Now

Output:

Inner function: 25
Outer function: 25

Explanation:

In the above example, we defined a nested function. Inside the outer function, we have initialized a variable. Inside the inner function, we have used the nonlocal keyword to modify the variable of the parent function.

Logical and Boolean Keywords

These keywords are used in logical operations and Boolean expressions.

Keyword	Description
and	This keyword represents Logical AND
or	This keyword represents Logical OR
not	This keyword represents Logical NOT
True	This keyword represents Boolean True value
False	This keyword represents Boolean False value

Let us see an example showing how to use these keywords.

Example: Use of Logical Operation Keywords

Let's consider an example to demonstrate the logical operation keywords in python.

Example

# use of and, or, not keywords

x = 12
y = 19

# Using 'and'
if x > 0 and y > 0:
  print("Both x and y are positive")

# Using 'or'
if x > 15 or y > 15:
  print("At least one of x or y is greater than 10")

# Using 'not'
if not x == 0:
  print("x is not equal to 0")

Execute Now

Output:

Both x and y are positive
At least one of x or y is greater than 10
x is not equal to 0

Explanation:

In the above example, we have initialized two variables and used the and, or, and not keywords to check various conditions.

Example: Use of Boolean Expression Keywords

Let's consider an example to demonstrate the Boolean expression keywords in Python.

Example

# use of True, False keywords

# defining a function to check even number
def chck_even(number):
  """Checks if a number is even."""
  if number % 2 == 0:
    return True
  else:
    return False

print(f"Is 24 even? {chck_even(24)}")
print(f"Is 57 even? {chck_even(57)}")

Execute Now

Output:

Is 24 even? True
Is 57 even? False

Explanation:

In the above example, we have defined function to check for even number. Inside this function, we have used the True keyword to return that given variable is an even number and False in case of odd number.

Import and Module Keywords

The keywords under this category are used for module handling and importing functions.

Keyword	Description
import	This keyword is used to import a module
from	This keyword allows us to import specific part of a module
as	This keyword is used to rename imported module

Let us see an example showing how to use these keywords.

Example

# use of import, from, as keywords

import math as m
from math import pi

Explanation:

In the above example, we have used the import, from, and as keywords to handle the importing functions.

Inheritance and Comparison Keywords

The keywords under this category are used for class inheritance and object relationships.

Keyword	Description
is	This keyword is used to check if two objects are the same
in	This keyword is used to check membership in lists, tuples, etc.

Let us see an example showing how to use these keywords.

Example

# use of is, in keywords

p = 14
q = 14

# 'is' checks if both variables refer to the same object in memory
if p is q:
  print("p and q refer to the same object")

# 'in' checks for membership in a sequence (string, list, tuple, etc.)
lst_1 = [13, 25, 46, 14, 59]
if p in lst_1:
  print("p is present in lst_1")

Execute Now

Output:

p and q refer to the same object
p is present in lst_1

Explanation:

In the above example, we have initialized two variables. We have then used the is and in keywords to check if both variables refer to the same object and member of a given list.

Asynchronous Programming Keywords

These keywords are used for asynchronous programming.

Keyword	Description
async	This keyword is used to define an asynchronous function.
await	This keyword allows us to pause async function execution

Let us see an example showing how to use these keywords.

Example

# use of async, await keywords

# importing the required module
import asyncio

async def greeting():
  print("Tpoint")
  await asyncio.sleep(1)  # pausing for 1 second without blocking
  print("Tech")

async def main():
  await greeting()  # waiting for greeting to finish

await main()

Execute Now

Output:

Tpoint
Tech

Explanation:

In the above example, we have imported the asyncio module. We have then used the async keyword while defining asynchronous functions. We have also used the await keyword to pause the execution of async functions.

Python Program to Print All Keywords

As per Python 3.11, there are 35 keywords. Here, we are going to take an example to print all keywords in Python.

Example

# importing the keyword module
import keyword

# using kwlist to display list of keywords
print(keyword.kwlist)

Execute Now

Output:

['False', 'None', 'True', 'and', 'as', 'assert', 'async', 'await', 'break', 'class', 'continue', 'def', 'del', 'elif', 'else', 'except', 'finally', 'for', 'from', 'global', 'if', 'import', 'in', 'is', 'lambda', 'nonlocal', 'not', 'or', 'pass', 'raise', 'return', 'try', 'while', 'with', 'yield']

Explanation:

In the above, we have used the kwlist attribute from the keyword module to get the list of keywords in Python.

What are Soft Keywords in Python?

Python also includes four soft keywords, which act like keywords only under certain conditions. Unlike regular keywords, these keywords can still be utilized in the form of variable names or function identifiers.

For instance, the keywords like match and case were introduced for the purpose of structural pattern matching. However, since they are soft keywords, we can used them as variable names in non-pattern-matching contexts.

Conclusion

Python keywords are reserved words having special meanings and are central to the syntax and structure of a language. They provide important programming concepts such as control flow, manipulation of data, and function declaration. Good knowledge of these keywords are important in writing clean, and readable code.

Next TopicPython Literals

← prev next →

We deliver comprehensive tutorials, interview question-answers, MCQs, study materials on leading programming languages and web technologies like Data Science, MEAN/MERN full stack development, Python, Java, C++, C, HTML, React, Angular, PHP and much more to support your learning and career growth.

Contact info

G-13, 2nd Floor, Sec-3, Noida, UP, 201301, India

[email protected]

+91-9599086977

Interview Questions

Python Java Data Structure C++ C HTML JavaScript jQuery SQL Power BI

Online Compilers

C Compiler R Compiler C++ Compiler PHP Compiler Java Compiler HTML Editor Swift Compiler Python Compiler JavaScript Editor TypeScript Editor

Latest Post | Tutorials List | Privacy Policy | About Us | Contact Us

Python Tutorial

Python Variable & Data Type

Python Control Statements

Python Data Structures

Python Functions

Python Modules

Python OOPs

Python Exception Handling

Python File Handling

Python Searching & Sorting

Python Advanced Topics

Python MySQL

Python MongoDB

Python SQLite

Python MCQ

Python Tkinter (GUI)

Python Web Blocker

Python Built-in Functions

Python String functions

Python List

Python Dictionary

Plotly

Related Tutorials

Python Keywords

List of Python Keywords

Control Flow Keywords

Conditional Statements - if, elif, else

Example

Looping Construct - for, while

Example

Loop Control - break, continue, pass

Example

Function and Class Definition Keywords

Example: Use of def Keyword

Example

Example: Use of return and yield Keyword

Example

Example: Use of lambda Keyword

Example

Example: Use of class Keyword

Example

Exception Handling Keywords

Example

Variable Scope and Namespace Keywords

Example: Use of global Keyword

Example

Example: Use of nonlocal Keyword

Example

Logical and Boolean Keywords

Example: Use of Logical Operation Keywords

Example

Example: Use of Boolean Expression Keywords

Example

Import and Module Keywords

Example

Inheritance and Comparison Keywords

Example

Asynchronous Programming Keywords

Example

Python Program to Print All Keywords

Example

What are Soft Keywords in Python?

Conclusion

Related Posts

Subscribe to Tpoint Tech

Contact info

Follow us

Top Tutorials

Interview Questions

Online Compilers