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Lesson 210 of 240

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Borrow and return in French

Sam needs a pot for one night. He knocks two floors down, where Inès already lives on the same stairs.

She is holding it before he even asks. He only needs it this evening, and he names a return time.

By the end, you'll borrow something from a neighbour, say when it comes back, and apologise if you forget.

By the end of this lesson

Borrow something from a neighbour and say when you will return it.

  • Tu peux me prêter ___ ?Can you lend me ___?
  • Je te le rends demain matin.I'll give it back tomorrow morning.
  • Je n'en ai besoin que ce soir.I only need it this evening.
  • Désolé, j'ai oublié de te le rendre.Sorry, I forgot to give it back.
  • Prends-le, je ne m'en sers pas.Take it, I'm not using it.
  • Tiens, je te le rends.Here, I'm giving it back.

Scene — two floors down

Same building, two floors down. Sam knocks. Inès opens the door with a large cooking pot already in her hands.

The stairwell is narrow, no lift. She looks ready to lend it before he finishes the ask.

On a narrow Paris landing, Sam faces an open door while Inès stands in the doorway already holding a large cooking pot.

Learn — lend and give back

Six lines cover asking to borrow something, saying you only need it tonight, and naming a return time.

You'll also take an offer and apologise if you bring it back late.

  1. Sam leans in on the landing with an open palm toward the cooking pot Inès is holding.

    Tu peux me prêter ___ ?

    Can you lend me ___?

    When to use it: Ask a friend or neighbour to lend you something.

    Put the thing you want in the blank.

  2. From behind Inès, Sam stands on the landing with a hand on the chest, promising to return the pot.

    Je te le rends demain matin.

    I'll give it back tomorrow morning.

    When to use it: Promise a friend when you will bring it back.

    Le stands for the thing you borrowed.

  3. Sam pinches thumb and finger beside the cooking pot Inès is holding, to show it is needed only a short while.

    Je n'en ai besoin que ce soir.

    I only need it this evening.

    When to use it: Say you only need the thing this evening.

    En stands for the thing you named.

    Say it: N'en is an elision of ne and en.

  4. In the morning on the same landing, Sam holds the pot to one side and touches the back of the neck in apology while Inès watches from the door.

    Désolé, j'ai oublié de te le rendre.

    Sorry, I forgot to give it back.

    When to use it: Apologise when you bring a friend's thing back late.

    Sam says désolé; a woman writes désolée.

  5. Inès steps onto the landing and holds the cooking pot out toward Sam, showing it is not being used.

    Prends-le, je ne m'en sers pas.

    Take it, I'm not using it.

    When to use it: Let a friend take it when you are not using it.

    Le is the thing; keep tu with a friend.

    Say it: The d at the end of prends is silent.

  6. Sam holds the cooking pot forward with both hands as Inès takes it from him.

    Tiens, je te le rends.

    Here, I'm giving it back.

    When to use it: Say this as you hand the thing back.

    Tiens marks the moment you hand it over.

Story — she is already holding it

Watch Sam borrow a pot two floors down, then bring it back a day late.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Two floors down, Sam knocks. Inès opens with a large pot already in her hands.
  2. InèsSalut.Hi.
  3. SamTu peux me prêter ton faitout ?Can you lend me your pot?
  4. InèsPrends-le, je ne m'en sers pas.Take it, I'm not using it.
  5. SamJe n'en ai besoin que ce soir.I only need it this evening.
  6. SamJe te le rends demain matin.I'll give it back tomorrow morning.
  7. InèsPas de souci.No problem.
  8. SamMerci.Thank you.
  9. InèsÀ demain.See you tomorrow.
  10. The next evening. Sam is back on the landing with the pot.
  11. SamDésolé, j'ai oublié de te le rendre.Sorry, I forgot to give it back.
  12. InèsT'inquiète.Don't worry.
  13. SamTiens, je te le rends.Here, I'm giving it back.
  14. InèsIl a servi ?Did it do the job?
  15. SamOui, pour les pâtes.Yes, for the pasta.
  16. InèsTu peux me l'emprunter quand tu veux.You can borrow it from me whenever you want.

Practice — tonight or tomorrow

Ten quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You knock two floors down. Ask Inès to lend you her pot.

  3. Fill the gap

    I only need it this evening.

    Je n'en ai ____ que ce soir.

  4. What does it mean?

    Désolé, j'ai oublié de te le rendre.

  5. Pick the reply

    Sam says:

    Tu peux me prêter ton faitout ?

    Can you lend me your pot?

    And you reply with:

  6. Build the line

    Here, I'm giving it back.

    , .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    Promise Inès you will bring the pot back tomorrow morning.

    Je te le rends demain ____.

  8. True or false?

    You say this when you will see the person tomorrow.

  9. Pick the reply

    Sam says:

    Merci beaucoup.

    Thank you very much.

    And you reply with:

  10. What do you say?

    Inès opens the door two floors down. Greet her as a friend.

Say it — ask and promise

Now you're Sam on the landing. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. InèsSalut.Hi.
  2. Sam (you)Ask if she can lend you her cooking pot.

    Tu peux me prêter ___ ?

    Can you lend me ___?

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Tu peux me prêter ___ ?Can you lend me ___?
Je te le rends demain matin.I'll give it back tomorrow morning.
Je n'en ai besoin que ce soir.I only need it this evening.
Désolé, j'ai oublié de te le rendre.Sorry, I forgot to give it back.
Prends-le, je ne m'en sers pas.Take it, I'm not using it.
Tiens, je te le rends.Here, I'm giving it back.
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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your neighbour asks ready for the landing.

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