Borrow or lend: what is the difference?
Borrow and lend describe the same transaction from opposite directions. Dutch lenen can cover both, which makes the English distinction particularly easy to mix up.
Borrow: receive and return
Use borrow when the subject receives something temporarily: “I borrowed a book from Sam.” The usual pattern is borrow something from someone. You cannot normally say “borrow me your pen.”
Lend: give temporarily
Use lend when the subject gives something temporarily: “Sam lent the book to me.” Common patterns are lend something to someone and lend someone something: “Could you lend me a pen?”
Nederlandse uitleg
Onthoud: de ontvanger borrows; de gever lends. “Ik leen een boek van jou” = “I borrow a book from you.” “Ik leen jou een boek” = “I lend you a book.”
Try it yourself
Complete the sentence: “Could I ___ your charger?” The answer is borrow. If you ask “Could you ___ me your charger?”, use lend.
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Source: Cambridge Grammar. Featured photograph by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash.