'Owe', 'lend' and 'borrow' - Learners' Questions

Improve your English by ,learning how to use the English words 'owe' 'lend' and 'borrow' correctly.

Transcript
Dan
Hi guys! Dan from BBC Learning English here with this week's Learner Question. Find out what it is after this.

OK! This week's Learner Question comes from Omar from Somalia, who asks: How can I use the word owe when I lend someone some money? Do I say I owe you $20 or do I say you owe me $20? How do I use this word in both ways such as when I borrow money from someone or also when I lend someone some money? Wow, Omar. That’s one heck of a question. Let’s see if we can answer it for you, ok?

So, if you borrow something, you take it from somebody for a limited time. The preposition is from. For example, I borrowed £5 from my brother. Or, many of his ideas are borrowed from other sources.

Now for lend. Lend is give, you give something to someone for a short or limited period of time, but they’re expected to return it! It has two objects. You lend something to someone or you lend somebody something. For example, my brother lent £5 to me. That’s verb, direct object and indirect object. Notice the preposition to - £5 to me. Or, my brother lent me £5. That’s verb, indirect object and direct object. No preposition. Money is lent by banks to people.

Now for owe. Owe is what must be returned. It results from the borrowing or lending. It can also have two objects. So you owe somebody something or you owe something to somebody. And there’s no difference.
So, using our previous example, I borrowed £5 from my brother so I owe my brother £5. Or, my brother lent me £5 so I owe £5 to my brother. And you can change it if you want to. So, I borrowed £5 from my brother so I owe £5 to my brother. Or, my brother lent me £5 so I owe my brother £5. And it’s all the same! So, don’t stress.

[lilibeta]

Dan, you are the best English teacher in the world ! Know I can know the difference between them. Thank you so much 🙏🙏🙏

[lilianaliliana]

Perfect teacher👏You speak so clearly and simply 👍😊

[vanesarojas]

I could understand easily. Thanks Dan for teaching us in a entertaining way. I admire you

[mariamkinen]

I already grasped this one. Tell me once and it hits home. You nail it.

[MohanRaj-jkmf]

Good session... I often used to get confusion with these words, now it is somewhat understood... Thank you... "I owe thanks to bbc learning english for this session!

[shreenjandutta]

Man, you are extremely smart & voice is so clear. ♥

Love from INDIA 🇮🇳

[esraamouhamed]

Thanks alot ...i want more subjects to develope my language by listening

[prawashasingh]

I want more stuffs for learning English new words thanks a bunch keep posting ... More love BB C😘

[mmaryuv]

My sister lend me 50 pounds and I borrowed 20 from my friend, so I owe 70 pounds to them.

[brigittesaint-pe]

Hello Dan, I owe you big time and I will be never able to make it up to you. That is the reason why I would like To Thank you, at least, for your teaching.

[ihhyo]

So the gramatic difference between borrow and owe is prepositions. From or To. Borrow it from You. Owe it to you

[laidiguan]

So great, love you, Dan .
I borrow 5 yuan from my roommate.
I lend 5 yuan to my sister.l owe my sister 5 yuan.

[Mysterious]

Dan i think you didn't understand his question. What about your brother ? What he Says when you owe him 5 pounds?

[ayaleea]

Still confuse..but..will learn it again

[mariamkinen]

What about rent n hire? To Rent a car, hire a house

[estefanyponce]

JUST XPLAIN ME HOW CAN I SPEAK FLUENTLY I DON' HAVE PARTNER TO SPEAK