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Lesson 211 of 240

New here? This is lesson 211 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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Borrow and return in German

Priya's charger cable dies at the loft. She walks to Deniz's Späti across Fliederstraße and asks to borrow one for a bit.

Deniz tells her to take it. She promises it back by tomorrow at the latest.

Two days later she brings it back, a day past her promise, and he has already forgotten.

You'll ask to borrow something, say when you'll return it, and admit you forgot.

By the end of this lesson

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

  • Kann ich mir das kurz von dir leihen?Can I borrow this from you for a bit?
  • Ich bringe es zurück, sobald ich fertig bin.I'll bring it back as soon as I'm done.
  • Spätestens morgen hast du es wieder.You'll have it back tomorrow at the latest.
  • Ich habe total vergessen, es dir zurückzugeben.I completely forgot to give it back to you.
  • Nimm es ruhig mit, ich brauche es gerade nicht.Go ahead and take it, I don't need it right now.
  • Nächstes Mal kannst du dir meins leihen.Next time you can borrow mine.

Scene — the Späti counter

Evening on Fliederstraße. Priya's laptop charger has died at the loft, so she crosses to Deniz's Späti.

He is restocking bottles by the fridge wall. A spare USB cable hangs from the carabiner on his belt.

Priya enters Deniz's Späti while Deniz restocks bottles beside the fridge wall, with a spare cable hanging from his belt.

Learn — borrow and bring it back

Six lines cover asking to borrow something, promising it back, and admitting you forgot.

You'll also hear Deniz tell you to take it, and offer his next time.

  1. Priya gestures toward the cable hanging from Deniz's belt as she asks to borrow it.

    Kann ich mir das kurz von dir leihen?

    Can I borrow this from you for a bit?

    When to use it: Ask a friend when you want to borrow something for a short time.

    Use leihen when you borrow from a person, not from a shop.

    Say it: Leihen puts the stress on the first syllable.

  2. Deniz gives Priya permission to take the cable, and Priya holds it while making a grateful open-palm gesture.

    Ich bringe es zurück, sobald ich fertig bin.

    I'll bring it back as soon as I'm done.

    When to use it: Say this when you will return something you have borrowed.

    After sobald, the verb comes last, the same as after weil, dass, or wenn.

  3. Priya holds the borrowed cable and gestures toward the street door while promising to return it by tomorrow at the latest.

    Spätestens morgen hast du es wieder.

    You'll have it back tomorrow at the latest.

    When to use it: Give the latest time when the other person will have it back.

    The verb sits second: Spätestens morgen comes first, then hast.

    Say it: The ä in Spätestens sounds like the e in bed.

  4. On a later evening, Priya stands by the counter holding the cable she forgot to return and makes a small apologetic gesture.

    Ich habe total vergessen, es dir zurückzugeben.

    I completely forgot to give it back to you.

    When to use it: Admit you forgot to return something you borrowed.

    Dir is the friend you give it back to, the same dative as after mit or von.

  5. Deniz responds calmly as Priya holds out the forgotten cable and apologizes.

    Nimm es ruhig mit, ich brauche es gerade nicht.

    Go ahead and take it, I don't need it right now.

    When to use it: Tell a friend they can take something you do not need now.

    Mitnehmen splits: nimm starts the clause and mit stands at the end.

  6. Deniz gestures toward the spare cable on his belt as Priya stands beside him with the returned cable, offering that she can borrow his next time.

    Nächstes Mal kannst du dir meins leihen.

    Next time you can borrow mine.

    When to use it: Offer your own thing when a friend needs to borrow one.

    Dir marks who may borrow it next time.

    Say it: Nächstes puts the stress on the first syllable.

Story — a day late

Watch Priya borrow a cable from Deniz, then bring it back a day after she promised.

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

  1. The fridge wall hums. Deniz stacks bottles. A USB cable hangs from his belt.
  2. PriyaHast du kurz Zeit?Have you got a moment?
  3. DenizKlar. Was fehlt dir denn?Sure. What are you missing?
  4. PriyaKann ich mir das kurz von dir leihen?Can I borrow this from you for a bit?
  5. DenizNimm es ruhig mit, ich brauche es gerade nicht.Go ahead and take it, I don't need it right now.
  6. PriyaIch bringe es zurück, sobald ich fertig bin.I'll bring it back as soon as I'm done.
  7. DenizWann ungefähr?About when?
  8. PriyaSpätestens morgen hast du es wieder.You'll have it back tomorrow at the latest.
  9. DenizBis morgen.See you tomorrow.
  10. Two evenings later. Priya is back with the cable, a day after she promised.
  11. PriyaTut mir leid.I'm sorry.
  12. DenizWas hast du denn da?What's that you've got there?
  13. PriyaIch habe total vergessen, es dir zurückzugeben.I completely forgot to give it back to you.
  14. DenizKeine Sorge.Don't worry.
  15. PriyaDu hast es schon vergessen, oder?You've already forgotten, haven't you?
  16. DenizNächstes Mal kannst du dir meins leihen.Next time you can borrow mine.

Practice — cable out, cable in

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

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Ich bringe es zurück, sobald ich fertig bin.Drop the English here
    Spätestens morgen hast du es wieder.Drop the English here
    Nächstes Mal kannst du dir meins leihen.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its German, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    A friend wants your cable and you do not need it right now, so you tell them to take it.

  4. Swap the word

    Promise a friend they will have the cable back tomorrow at the latest, not today.

    Spätestens ____ hast du es wieder.

  5. What does it mean?

    Ich habe total vergessen, es dir zurückzugeben.

  6. Swap the word

    You borrowed a cable. Say you'll return it as soon as you're done.

    Ich ____ es zurück, sobald ich fertig bin.

  7. Build the line

    Next time you can borrow mine.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Pick the reply

    Deniz says:

    Du bist einen Tag zu spät.

    You're a day late.

    And you reply with:

  9. True or false?

    You say this when you expect to see the person tomorrow.

  10. Pick the reply

    Priya says:

    Ich habe total vergessen, es dir zurückzugeben.

    I completely forgot to give it back to you.

    And you reply with:

  11. Fill the gap

    Can I borrow this from you for a bit?

    Kann ich ____ das kurz von dir leihen?

Say it — say it back

Now you're Priya at the Späti, first borrowing the cable, then bringing it back a day late.

When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. DenizNa, Priya. Was brauchst du?Hey, Priya. What do you need?
  2. Priya (you)Ask if you can borrow this from him for a bit.

    Kann ich mir das kurz von dir leihen?

    Can I borrow this from you for a bit?

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Kann ich mir das kurz von dir leihen?Can I borrow this from you for a bit?
Ich bringe es zurück, sobald ich fertig bin.I'll bring it back as soon as I'm done.
Spätestens morgen hast du es wieder.You'll have it back tomorrow at the latest.
Ich habe total vergessen, es dir zurückzugeben.I completely forgot to give it back to you.
Nimm es ruhig mit, ich brauche es gerade nicht.Go ahead and take it, I don't need it right now.
Nächstes Mal kannst du dir meins leihen.Next time you can borrow mine.
Next: lesson 212Run the meeting

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A short Yak Cards round keeps borrow and bring-back ready for the next neighbour.

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