Borrowing and returning something

Kannst du mir die Leiter leihen?

Ask to borrow an item, agree on a return time and use pronouns with clear references.

Ich leihe dir die Leiter means I lend you the ladder; ich leihe mir eine Leiter means I borrow a ladder. Context and the recipient pronoun make the direction clear. Ask Kannst du mir … leihen? and agree when the item should be returned. The person receiving something is in the dative: mir, dir, ihm or ihr. The thing is the direct object; die Leiter becomes sie, das Werkzeug becomes es. Ich bringe sie dir morgen zurück means I will return the ladder to you tomorrow. Do not use grammatical gender from your explanation language to choose the German pronoun. An offer is not a completed handover; check whether the item is actually available.

Kannst du mir die Leiter leihen?

Can you lend me the ladder?

Ich brauche sie nur bis morgen.

I only need it until tomorrow.

Du kannst sie heute Abend abholen.

You can collect it this evening.

Ich bringe sie dir morgen zurück.

I will return it to you tomorrow.

Das Werkzeug gehört meiner Nachbarin.

The tools belong to my neighbour.

Vielen Dank, das hilft mir sehr.

Thank you very much; that helps me a lot.

Ich leihe dir die Leiter means I lend you the ladder; ich leihe mir eine Leiter means I borrow a ladder. Context and the recipient pronoun make the direction clear. Ask Kannst du mir … leihen? and agree when the item should be returned. The person receiving something is in the dative: mir, dir, ihm or ihr. The thing is the direct object; die Leiter becomes sie, das Werkzeug becomes es. Ich bringe sie dir morgen zurück means I will return the ladder to you tomorrow. Do not use grammatical gender from your explanation language to choose the German pronoun. An offer is not a completed handover; check whether the item is actually available.

Ask to borrow an item, agree on a return time and use pronouns with clear references.

For die Leiter use sie, not es. The female recipient Lea takes dative ihr, not direct-object sie: Ich bringe sie ihr zurück. A promised return is not a completed return.

Person: mir/dir/ihm/ihr. Thing: die Leiter → sie; das Werkzeug → es. Ich bringe sie dir zurück.

Write a four-line dialogue: request one item, agree on collection, promise a specific return time and thank the owner.

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