The Word “Borrow”: Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages
Meaning of “Borrow”
The verb “borrow” refers to the act of taking something from someone with the intention of returning it after a certain period of time. It is a common practice in everyday life, whether it’s borrowing money, books, or an item like a tool. Borrowing involves an agreement or understanding that the item or money will be given back to the lender.
The word “borrow” is used in a variety of contexts, from personal exchanges (like borrowing a pen from a friend) to financial transactions (like borrowing money from a bank). It is essential to remember that borrowing implies temporary possession, and the borrowed item or money should be returned as agreed upon.
Usage of “Borrow” in Different Contexts
- Personal Borrowing:
“Can I borrow your phone for a minute?” - Financial Borrowing:
“She decided to borrow money to pay for the car repair.” - In Literature or Speech:
“He likes to borrow phrases from famous authors in his writing.” - Borrowing for a Task or Need:
“I need to borrow a book from the library for my research.” - Cultural or Linguistic Borrowing:
“The English language often borrows words from other languages.”
Translations of “Borrow” in 30 Languages
The verb “borrow” is used across languages to represent the act of taking something temporarily with the intention of returning it. Below are translations of “borrow” in 30 languages, with example sentences demonstrating its use.
| Language | Translation | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| English | Borrow | “Can I borrow your pen?” |
| Spanish | Pedir prestado | “¿Puedo pedir prestado tu coche por un día?” (Can I borrow your car for a day?) |
| French | Emprunter | “Je voudrais emprunter ton livre pour une semaine.” (I would like to borrow your book for a week.) |
| German | Ausleihen | “Kann ich dein Handy ausleihen?” (Can I borrow your phone?) |
| Italian | Prendere in prestito | “Posso prendere in prestito il tuo libro?” (Can I borrow your book?) |
| Portuguese | Emprestar | “Eu preciso emprestar dinheiro do banco.” (I need to borrow money from the bank.) |
| Russian | Одолжить (Odalzhit’) | “Мне нужно одолжить немного денег.” (I need to borrow some money.) |
| Chinese | 借 (Jiè) | “我可以借你的手机吗?” (Can I borrow your phone?) |
| Japanese | 借りる (Kariru) | “この本を借りてもいいですか？” (Can I borrow this book?) |
| Korean | 빌리다 (Billida) | “잠깐 빌려도 될까요?” (Can I borrow it for a moment?) |
| Hindi | उधार लेना (Udhar Lena) | “क्या मैं तुम्हारा फोन उधार ले सकता हूँ?” (Can I borrow your phone?) |
| Bengali | ধার নেওয়া (Dhar Neoya) | “আমি তোমার বই ধার নিতে পারি?” (Can I borrow your book?) |
| Turkish | Ödünç almak | “Telefonunu ödünç alabilir miyim?” (Can I borrow your phone?) |
| Dutch | Lenen | “Mag ik je boek lenen?” (Can I borrow your book?) |
| Swedish | Låna | “Kan jag låna din penna?” (Can I borrow your pen?) |
| Norwegian | Låne | “Kan jeg låne telefonen din?” (Can I borrow your phone?) |
| Greek | Δανείζω (Daneízo) | “Μπορώ να δανειστώ το βιβλίο σου;” (Can I borrow your book?) |
| Polish | Pożyczyć | “Czy mogę pożyczyć twój samochód?” (Can I borrow your car?) |
| Czech | Půjčit | “Mohu si půjčit tu knihu?” (Can I borrow the book?) |
| Finnish | Lainata | “Voinko lainata puhelintasi?” (Can I borrow your phone?) |
| Hungarian | Kölcsönözni | “Kölcsön tudok kérni egy könyvet?” (Can I borrow a book?) |
| Hebrew | לשאול (Lesh’ol) | “אני יכול לשאול את הספר שלך?” (Can I borrow your book?) |
| Thai | ยืม (Yuem) | “ขอยืมโทรศัพท์ของคุณได้ไหม?” (Can I borrow your phone?) |
| Indonesian | Meminjam | “Bolehkah saya meminjam buku Anda?” (Can I borrow your book?) |
| Malay | Meminjam | “Bolehkah saya meminjam telefon anda?” (Can I borrow your phone?) |
| Vietnamese | Mượn | “Tôi có thể mượn cuốn sách của bạn không?” (Can I borrow your book?) |
| Ukrainian | Позичити (Pozychyty) | “Я можу позичити твою книгу?” (Can I borrow your book?) |
| Romanian | Împrumuta | “Pot să împrumut cartea ta?” (Can I borrow your book?) |
| Swahili | Kukopa | “Ninaweza kukopa simu yako?” (Can I borrow your phone?) |
| Persian | قرض گرفتن (Qarz gereftan) | “میتوانم گوشی شما را قرض بگیرم؟” (Can I borrow your phone?) |
| Malayalam | വായിക്കാൻ (Vāyikkān) | “ഞാൻ നിന്റെ പുസ്തകം വായിക്കാനാ?” (Can I borrow your book?) |
| Tamil | கடன் எடுத்தல் (Kaṭaṉ eṭuttal) | “நான் உங்க தொலைபேசி கடன் எடுக்கலா?” (Can I borrow your phone?) |
| Arabic | استعار (Isti’ār) | “هل يمكنني استعارة قلمك؟” (Can I borrow your pen?) |
The word “borrow” is commonly used in everyday life across cultures, referring to the temporary use of something with the expectation that it will be returned. The verb is essential in both personal and professional contexts, from borrowing books or items to borrowing money for financial needs. Understanding how “borrow” is translated across various languages helps emphasize the universal practice of sharing resources and maintaining trust.
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