“Borrow or Lend? A Clear Guide to Avoiding One of English’s Most Common Mistakes”

Introduction

In everyday English conversations, two simple verbs — borrow and lend — often cause big confusion, even for intermediate and advanced learners. While they seem similar in meaning and are often used in similar contexts, using the wrong one can lead to misunderstandings.

This article explains the core difference between borrow and lend, how to use them correctly in sentences, and how to avoid the most frequent mistakes. With real-life examples, grammar tips, and practice questions, this guide will give you the confidence to master these two tricky verbs once and for all.

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1. The Core Difference: Direction of the Action

✅ BORROW

Means: To take something temporarily from someone else.
🧭 Focus: You receive something.

You borrow FROM someone.

✅ LEND

Means: To give something temporarily to someone else.
🧭 Focus: You give something.

You lend TO someone.

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2. Simple Definitions

Verb	Meaning	Who Does It?	Example Sentence
Borrow	To take something for a short time	The person who receives	Can I borrow your pen?
Lend	To give something for a short time	The person who gives	I will lend you my dictionary.

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3. Grammar Structure: How to Use Them

🔹 Borrow

Structure: borrow + object + from + person

✅ She borrowed a book from the library.
✅ Can I borrow your notes from last week?

🔹 Lend

Structure: lend + person + object
or
lend + object + to + person

✅ I lent my friend some money.
✅ Can you lend your laptop to me for a while?

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4. Common Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

❌ Can you borrow me your phone?

➡️ Incorrect — “Borrow” is not used to give.

✅ Can you lend me your phone?
➡️ Correct — “Lend” means to give temporarily.

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❌ I need to lend your charger.

➡️ Incorrect — You want to receive, not give.

✅ I need to borrow your charger.
➡️ Correct — You're taking it temporarily.

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5. Easy Trick to Remember

🔁 Think in terms of direction:

Verb	Action	Clue Word	Example
Borrow	Taking	FROM someone	I borrowed money from him.
Lend	Giving	TO someone	She lent her car to me.

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6. Examples in Daily Conversations

Situation: In a classroom

Student A: Can I borrow a pencil from you?
Student B: Sure! I’ll lend you one.

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Situation: At the bank

Customer: I want to borrow some money.
Bank: We can lend you up to $5,000.

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Situation: Between friends

Tom: Did you borrow that shirt from Mark?
Jerry: No, he didn’t lend it to me.

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7. Past Tense of Borrow and Lend

Verb	Present	Past	Past Participle
Borrow	borrow	borrowed	borrowed
Lend	lend	lent	lent

✅ He borrowed my car yesterday.
✅ I lent him my car yesterday.

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8. Practice Makes Perfect

Choose the correct word: borrow or lend

1. Can I _______ your umbrella?

2. I forgot my calculator. Will you _______ me yours?

3. He _______ a jacket from his cousin.

4. My sister never _______ her clothes to anyone.

5. They want to _______ a tent for the weekend.

Answers:

1. borrow

2. lend

3. borrowed

4. lends

5. borrow

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9. Bonus Expressions with Borrow and Lend

• Borrowed time – living longer than expected
  Example: After the accident, he felt like he was living on borrowed time.

• Lend an ear – listen to someone
  Example: Can you lend me an ear? I need to talk.

• Lend a hand – help someone
  Example: Could you lend a hand with the dishes?

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10. Final Thoughts

“Borrow” and “lend” are simple but powerful verbs — and mastering their use can instantly improve your English fluency. Remember:

• Use borrow when you take something.

• Use lend when you give something.

Whether you're in a classroom, workplace, or casual chat, using these verbs correctly will make your communication clear and confident.

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📘 Quick Review Chart

Action	Correct Verb	Example
I take your pen	borrow	I borrow your pen.
You give me your pen	lend	You lend me your pen.
He took my umbrella	borrowed	He borrowed it from me.
She gave me a book	lent	She lent the book to me.

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