Borrow and lend describe the same exchange from two different sides. The borrower receives something and returns it later. The lender gives something and gets it back later.
The pattern decides the word. You borrow something from a person: "I borrowed a pen from Anna." You lend something to a person, or you lend a person something: "I lent my pen to Anna."
The drill on this page has 15 short sentences. Each answer explains the direction of the exchange, so the difference becomes automatic.
What each word means
borrow
borrow (verb): to take something from someone for a short time and give it back later. The subject receives the thing.
lend
lend (verb): to give something to someone for a short time and get it back later. The subject gives the thing.
The rule
Borrow points to the receiver
- Pattern: borrow + something + from + person. "She borrowed a bike from her neighbour."
- The subject ends up with the thing: I borrowed a book, so the book is now with me.
- The past tense is borrowed, and the -ing form is borrowing, both regular.
- Borrow is not used with a person straight after the verb. "Borrow me a pen" is wrong in standard English.
Lend points to the giver
- Pattern one: lend + person + something. "Could you lend me your pen?"
- Pattern two: lend + something + to + person. "She lent her car to a friend."
- The past tense is lent, with one syllable and a t at the end.
- Lend a hand is a fixed phrase meaning to help: "Can you lend me a hand with these boxes?"
The quick test
- Does the sentence contain from? Then the word is borrow: borrow from a person or a library.
- Is the person right after the verb, with no preposition? Then the word is lend: lend me, lend him, lend the class.
- Is the subject getting the thing? Borrow. Is the subject giving the thing? Lend.
- If you need a noun, use loan: "a bank loan". The verb is lend in British English.
Fixed phrases and past forms
- Borrowed: "I borrowed two books." Lending: "She is lending us her flat for the week."
- On loan means borrowed by a person or place: "The painting is on loan from a museum."
- Lend itself to means to be suitable for: "The room lends itself to small classes."
- When someone does not return a thing, say "you still have my book", not "you borrowed my book to me".
How to remember
The trick: If it comes to you, you borrow it. If it leaves you, you lend it. Borrow takes from; lend gives to.
Examples
- May I borrow your dictionary for a moment?The speaker receives the dictionary.
- He borrowed a ladder from the garage next door.The pattern borrow + something + from + person.
- She lent me her notes for the weekend.The pattern lend + person + something.
- Could you lend your umbrella to Tom?The pattern lend + something + to + person.
- I never lend money to friends.The speaker is the giver, so lend is correct.
- You can borrow up to three books at a time.The library gives the books to the reader for a period.
- They lent us their flat for a week.The flat leaves the owners and comes back later.
- Sam borrowed a pen from the reception desk.From signals that the subject receives.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Can you borrow me your pen? Right: Can you lend me your pen?
- The speaker wants to receive the pen, but can you borrow me puts a person straight after the verb, which needs lend.
- Wrong: I lent a pen from Anna. Right: I borrowed a pen from Anna.
- The word from shows that the subject receives, so the verb is borrow.
- Wrong: She borrowed me her car. Right: She lent me her car.
- The subject gives the car to me, and lend takes the person right after the verb.
- Wrong: He asked me to borrow him five pounds. Right: He asked me to lend him five pounds.
- He wants to receive the money, so the action he asks for is lend.
- Wrong: I will lend the book from the library. Right: I will borrow the book from the library.
- The library owns the book and the speaker takes it, so borrow and from fit together.
Practice drill
Answer all 15 questions. Each answer is marked at once, and the rule is explained under the question.
Can I ___ your phone for a minute?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. borrow The speaker wants to receive the phone, so borrow is correct.
Could you ___ me your phone?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. lend The person comes straight after the verb, and the other person gives, so lend is correct.
I ___ this book from the library.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. borrowed The word from shows that the subject receives the book, so the past verb is borrowed.
She ___ me her notes yesterday.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. lent The subject gives the notes and the past tense of lend is lent.
He asked to ___ my car for the weekend.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. borrow He wants to receive the car, so the verb is borrow.
The bank ___ money to small businesses.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. lends The bank gives money to businesses, so the verb is lend.
You should never ___ money to a stranger.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. lend The subject gives money away, and lend takes to before the receiver.
I need to ___ some sugar from my neighbour.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. borrow From shows that the subject receives, so borrow is correct.
She ___ him her umbrella and never got it back.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. lent The subject gives the umbrella and the past form of lend is lent.
Can you ___ a hand with these boxes?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. lend Lend a hand is a fixed phrase that means help, so lend is correct.
I ___ a pen from the reception desk.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. borrowed From points to the source and the subject receives, so borrowed is correct.
They ___ us their flat for the holidays.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. lent The flat goes from the owners to us, so the past verb is lent.
Peter is always ___ things and forgetting to return them.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. borrowing Peter receives the things and should return them, so borrowing fits.
Would you mind ___ me your charger?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. lending The speaker asks to receive, but would you mind takes the -ing form of the other person's action: lending.
I ___ her my bike, but she returned it damaged.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. lent The subject gives the bike and the past form of lend is lent.
Questions learners ask
What is the past tense of lend?
The past tense is lent: "I lent him my bike yesterday." It ends in a t, and the word has the same vowel sound as bent and sent. The past tense of borrow is borrowed.
Is loan a verb?
In British English, loan is normally a noun: "a student loan", "the painting is on loan". American English also uses loan as a verb: "The bank loaned us the money." A learner is always safe with lend as the verb.
Which word do banks use?
Banks lend money and customers borrow money. "The bank lent us €10,000" and "we borrowed €10,000 from the bank" describe the same deal from the two sides. The noun for the sum is a loan.
More confusing words
Fewer vs less
Fewer goes with plural countable nouns, like fewer cars. Less goes with uncountable nouns and measurements, like less traffic.
Lose vs loose
Lose is a verb: to stop having something, or to not win. Loose is an adjective: not tight and not fixed.
Advice vs advise
Advice is the thing you receive. Advise is the action of giving it. The ending sound follows the job: ice for the noun, eyes for the verb.
Browse all the confusing word pairs or take the free A1 to C2 level test to find your starting point.