ESEN

Which one to use?Beginnerverbverb

borrowvslend

One is to take temporarily, the other is to give temporarily.

Side-by-side comparison

borrow

verb

Verb. To take something from someone temporarily, with the intention of returning it.

Can I borrow your umbrella?
¿Puedo pedirte prestado tu paraguas?
She borrowed $200 from her friend.
Ella le pidió prestados $200 a su amiga.
I need to borrow a pen for a second.
Necesito que me prestes un lapicero un momento.

lend

verb

Verb. To give something to someone temporarily, expecting to get it back.

Can you lend me your notes?
¿Puedes prestarme tus apuntes?
The bank will lend you money at 5% interest.
El banco te prestará dinero al 5% de interés.
She lent her jacket to her sister.
Ella le prestó su chaqueta a su hermana.

Common mistake

Saying 'Can you borrow me...?' when you are the one receiving. Wrong: "Can you borrow me your car?" (correct: Can you lend me your car? or Can I borrow your car?)

Trick to remember it

Think about direction: 'borrow' = the item comes TO you. 'Lend' = the item goes FROM you. Are you receiving? Use 'borrow'. Are you giving? Use 'lend'.

Quick rule

Are you the one who will use the item (receiving it)? Use 'borrow'. Are you the one giving the item for someone else to use? Use 'lend'.

Did you know?

In informal American English, 'loan' is widely used as a verb: 'Can you loan me five dollars?' In formal writing, 'loan' is only a noun and 'lend' is the correct verb. Both are accepted in everyday speech.

Practise what you learned

Exercise 1 · Pick the right one

Can I ____ your calculator for the exam?

Exercise 2 · Pick the right one

Could you ____ me $10 until Friday?

Exercise 3 · Form the word

Frequently asked questions

When do I use "borrow" and when do I use "lend"?

Are you the one who will use the item (receiving it)? Use 'borrow'. Are you the one giving the item for someone else to use? Use 'lend'.

What is the most common mistake with "borrow" and "lend"?

Saying 'Can you borrow me...?' when you are the one receiving. Wrong: "Can you borrow me your car?" (correct: Can you lend me your car? or Can I borrow your car?)

How do I remember the difference between "borrow" and "lend"?

Think about direction: 'borrow' = the item comes TO you. 'Lend' = the item goes FROM you. Are you receiving? Use 'borrow'. Are you giving? Use 'lend'.

Related word pairs

bringvstake

Bryan López

Founder of SpeakUP Academy

July 22, 2026

See all word pairs Explore more confusing words

Side-by-side comparison

borrow

verb

Verb. To take something from someone temporarily, with the intention of returning it.

Can I borrow your umbrella?
¿Puedo pedirte prestado tu paraguas?
She borrowed $200 from her friend.
Ella le pidió prestados $200 a su amiga.
I need to borrow a pen for a second.
Necesito que me prestes un lapicero un momento.

lend

verb

Verb. To give something to someone temporarily, expecting to get it back.

Can you lend me your notes?
¿Puedes prestarme tus apuntes?
The bank will lend you money at 5% interest.
El banco te prestará dinero al 5% de interés.
She lent her jacket to her sister.
Ella le prestó su chaqueta a su hermana.

Practise what you learned

Exercise 1 · Pick the right one

Can I ____ your calculator for the exam?

Exercise 2 · Pick the right one

Could you ____ me $10 until Friday?

Exercise 3 · Form the word

Frequently asked questions

When do I use "borrow" and when do I use "lend"?

Are you the one who will use the item (receiving it)? Use 'borrow'. Are you the one giving the item for someone else to use? Use 'lend'.

What is the most common mistake with "borrow" and "lend"?

Saying 'Can you borrow me...?' when you are the one receiving. Wrong: "Can you borrow me your car?" (correct: Can you lend me your car? or Can I borrow your car?)

How do I remember the difference between "borrow" and "lend"?

Think about direction: 'borrow' = the item comes TO you. 'Lend' = the item goes FROM you. Are you receiving? Use 'borrow'. Are you giving? Use 'lend'.