Lend means give something temporarily. Borrow means receive something temporarily. One person lends the item, and the other borrows it.
Describe the same loan from both sides
- “I’ll lend my ladder to Omar until Sunday.” The person with the ladder offers it.
- “I’ll borrow the ladder from Lena until Sunday.” Omar describes receiving the same ladder.
Use to with the lender’s action and from with the borrower’s
Write lend something to someone or lend someone something. Write borrow something from someone. To ask for the ladder, Omar could say “Could you lend me your ladder?” or “Could I borrow your ladder?”
Try it
“Could I ___ your charger for ten minutes? If you ___ it to me, I’ll bring it straight back.”
Show the answer
Use borrow and lend. The speaker will receive the charger, and the person being asked will give it temporarily.
See also Bring vs. Take.
