Lend means to give something to someone for a short time, and borrow means to take something from someone for a short time. Both actions involve the same thing, but the verbs are used differently depending on who is giving and who is receiving.
In this article, you’ll learn the difference between lend and borrow, with clear definitions, grammar rules, and common examples to help you use both words correctly in English.
What Does “Lend” Mean?
Lend means to give something to someone for a short time, expecting to get it back. When you lend, you are the giver. You still own the item or money, but you’re allowing another person to use it temporarily.
Usage:
- lend + something + to + someone
- lend + someone + something
Examples:
- I can lend you my umbrella.
- Can you lend me a pen?
- He lent his car to his friend.
What Does “Borrow” Mean?
Borrow means to take something from someone for a short time, with the plan to return it. When you borrow, you are the receiver. You use something that belongs to someone else, and you are expected to give it back.
Usage:
- borrow + something + from + someone
Examples:
- Can I borrow your phone for a minute?
- I borrowed a pencil from my classmate.
- He borrowed my notes before the exam.
Example Sentences Using Lend and Borrow
Let’s look at more sentence examples to see how these words are used.
Example Sentences with Lend
- Can you lend me a pencil?
- She lent her jacket to her friend.
- I always lend my sister my car when she visits.
- He refused to lend me his phone.
- I lent my book to Sarah, but she hasn’t returned it.
- My parents lent us some money for the trip.
- I’ll lend you my charger if you need it.
- The teacher lent a dictionary to the student.
- Never lend something you’re not ready to lose.
- We lent them a tent for their camping trip.
Example Sentences with Borrow
- Can I borrow your umbrella?
- I borrowed a calculator from my classmate.
- She wants to borrow my dress for the party.
- He always borrows my tools and forgets to return them.
- I need to borrow a pen because I forgot mine.
- We borrowed some chairs from our neighbors.
- May I borrow your phone for a second?
- They borrowed money from the bank.
- I hate having to borrow things from people.
- He borrowed my notebook before the test.
Quiz: Lend or Borrow?
1. Can I ____ your pencil for a moment?
a) lend
b) borrow
2. He didn’t have a book, so I ____ him mine.
a) lent
b) borrowed
3. I usually ____ tools from my neighbor.
a) borrow
b) lend
4. Please don’t ____ your credit card to strangers.
a) borrow
b) lend
5. I forgot my jacket, so I had to ____ one.
a) borrow
b) lend
6. My friend wants to ____ some money from me.
a) lend
b) borrow
7. The teacher will ____ us the textbooks.
a) lend
b) borrow
8. He asked to ____ my umbrella because it was raining.
a) lend
b) borrow
9. I always ____ him my charger, but he never returns it.
a) lend
b) borrow
10. She never ____ anything. She always gives, never takes.
a) lends
b) borrows
Quiz Answers
1) borrow
2) lent
3) borrow
4) lend
5) borrow
6) borrow
7) lend
8) borrow
9) lend
10) borrows
