(in cooperation with BBC UK, Learning English - Learn it Program and Roger Woodham)

How can I use the word owe when I lend someone some money. Do I say: 'I owe you 20 dollars' or do I say: 'You owe me 20 dollars?' The importance of my question is how do I use this word in both ways such as when I borrow some money from someone and also when I lend someone some money?

 If you borrow something from somebody, you take it with their permission and promise to return it in due course, at the end of a limited period usually. If you borrow ｣5,000 from the bank, you will owe them ｣5,000, plus interest on the period of time you have borrowed if for.



Consider the following:



    * 'I borrowed five pounds from my brother and forgot to pay it back.'


    * 'I always buy the books I want to read, although I agree it would be cheaper to borrow them from the library.'



    * 'Many of his ideas are borrowed from other sources.' 

			
	

	

If you lend somebody something, or lend something to somebody, then you give them something of yours for a limited period of time. If you lend someone some money, they will owe you the money.



Consider the following:



    * 'She lent her sister her car for the weekend.' (NB: verb + indirect object + direct object)


    * 'If you lend your coat to Philip, you'll never see it again.' (NB: verb + direct object + indirect object)


    * 'If you can lend me a hand with these reports, we might finish them by suppertime.' 

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