Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 210 of 240

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Borrow and return in Traditional Chinese

Maya's shirt is wrinkled, and the iron lives downstairs at the scooter shop. The staff wave her in like a neighbor, not a customer.

Learn how to borrow something for a short time, say when you will return it, and apologize if you forget. Taiwan neighbors often send you off with the thing first, then wait.

After you return it, a small bag of fruit or a later treat keeps the favor warm.

By the end of this lesson

Borrow something from a neighbor, say when you will return it, apologize if you forget, and offer a small treat.

  • 可以跟你借一下嗎？Can I borrow it from you?
  • 我用完就還你I'll give it back when I'm done.
  • 我明天一定還I'll definitely return it tomorrow.
  • 不好意思，我忘了還Sorry, I forgot to return it.
  • 你先拿去用Take it and use it first.
  • 下次我請你Next time it's on me.

Scene — an iron downstairs

The scooter shop under Maya's apartment smells of oil and rain covers. A staff member is wiping a helmet when Maya comes down with a wrinkled shirt.

She needs an iron, not a ride. The fortune slip stays in Auntie Lin's till, and nobody solves it here.

Maya pauses in the open scooter-shop shutter with a wrinkled shirt while Ajie wipes a helmet at the workbench.

Learn — borrow and give back

Six lines for borrowing from a neighbor and promising to return it. Listen, then say each one out loud.

Notice 還 here means give back, not still. 一下 keeps the request light.

  1. Maya lifts her wrinkled shirt toward a household iron and holds out an open asking hand.

    可以跟你借一下嗎？

    Can I borrow it from you?

    When to use it: Ask this when you want to borrow something for a short while.

    一下 after the verb makes the request sound short and polite.

  2. Maya cradles the iron in both hands and dips her head as if promising a quick return.

    我用完就還你

    I'll give it back when I'm done.

    When to use it: Promise this when you will return it right after you finish.

    用完 is the verb plus a result: you finish using it, then return it.

    Say it: This 還 is the return reading, not the still one.

  3. Maya hugs the iron to her ribs and raises a flat palm in a firm tomorrow-I-will pledge.

    我明天一定還

    I'll definitely return it tomorrow.

    When to use it: Use this when you firmly promise to return it tomorrow.

    一定 before the verb makes the promise sound firm, not just likely.

  4. Maya winces and holds the iron out with a small apologetic bow, as if she kept it too long.

    不好意思，我忘了還

    Sorry, I forgot to return it.

    When to use it: Say this when you forgot to give something back.

    了 marks forgetting as a finished event, not a plan.

  5. Ajie steps in and presses the iron forward with an easy go-ahead wave.

    你先拿去用

    Take it and use it first.

    When to use it: Say this when you lend something and want them to start now.

    先 tells them to take it now, before anything else.

  6. Maya taps her chest and sweeps an open hand toward the sunny lane as if the next treat is hers.

    下次我請你

    Next time it's on me.

    When to use it: Use this when you offer to treat them next time.

    請 here means you will pay or treat, not just invite.

Story — tangerines with the iron

Maya goes downstairs to borrow an iron from the scooter shop. Listen for the promise and the late return.

Two days later she brings tangerines and tries to make it even.

  1. Maya heads down to the scooter shop under her apartment.
  2. Staff美女，找車嗎？Need a scooter, miss?
  3. Maya不是，熨斗可以跟你借一下嗎？No. Could I borrow the iron for a moment?
  4. Staff熨斗啊，你先拿去用。The iron? Take it and use it first.
  5. Maya謝謝。我用完就還你。Thanks. I'll give it back when I'm done.
  6. Staff好喔。Okay.
  7. Maya我明天一定還。I'll definitely return it tomorrow.
  8. Staff不急啦。No rush.
  9. Two days later, Maya comes back with the iron and a bag of tangerines. She finished using it the first evening, then forgot to return it on time.
  10. Maya不好意思，我忘了還。Sorry, I forgot to return it.
  11. Staff沒關係。It's okay.
  12. Maya這袋橘子給你，麻煩你了。This bag of tangerines is for you. Sorry to trouble you.
  13. Staff橘子就好啦。The tangerines are plenty.
  14. Maya下次我請你。Next time it's on me.
  15. Staff好啊。Sure.

Practice — ask and return

Work through ten short tasks on asking to borrow, promising a return, and making it right if you forget.

Each wrong choice has a reason. Read it, then say the right line again.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    可以跟你借一下嗎？

  2. What do you say?

    A neighbor asks to borrow your iron. You are happy to lend it right away.

  3. Fill the gap

    I'll give it back when I'm done.

    我____就還你

  4. What did you hear?

  5. What did you hear?

  6. Build the line

    Next time it's on me.

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Staff says:

    你先拿去用

    Take it and use it first.

    And you reply with:

  8. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    可以跟你借一下嗎？Drop the English here
    我用完就還你Drop the English here
    你先拿去用Drop the English here
    下次我請你Drop the English here

    English

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

  9. What do you say?

    Someone forgot to return your iron and just apologized. Tell them it is okay.

  10. What does it mean?

    麻煩你了

Say it — your turn with the iron

You are Maya. Borrow the iron, say when you will return it, and make things right two days later.

Tap the microphone on your turns. You can replay the staff line first.

  1. Maya goes downstairs to borrow an iron.
  2. Maya (you)Ask to borrow it for a moment.

    可以跟你借一下嗎？

    Can I borrow it from you?

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
可以跟你借一下嗎？Can I borrow it from you?
我用完就還你I'll give it back when I'm done.
我明天一定還I'll definitely return it tomorrow.
不好意思，我忘了還Sorry, I forgot to return it.
你先拿去用Take it and use it first.
下次我請你Next time it's on me.
Next: lesson 211Run the meeting

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

These borrow-and-return lines are in Yak Cards with more neighbor-favor phrases.

Review a few cards before you knock on a neighbor's door.

Open Yak Cards