Borrow vs. Lend in Hebrew: Understanding the Pattern Behind the Verbs

In English, the difference between borrow and lend is straightforward: to borrow means to receive something, and to lend means to give it. The direction of the action is always clear.

Hebrew does make this distinction as well — but it is not always strictly maintained in everyday speech; to really understand what is going on, it helps to look at how Hebrew builds this meaning into its verb system.

You can also watch a video on this explanation: https://youtu.be/oy7SFLVwDBM

Money: a clear paal–hifil pair

When money is involved, Hebrew uses a systematic paal–hifil verb pair, both based on the same root:

• paal — to borrow money (the speaker receives) - לִלְווֹת

• hifil — to lend money (the speaker gives) - לְהַלְווֹת

This is not accidental. In Hebrew, paal typically describes the basic action, while hifil often expresses causation — making someone else perform that action.

Example (grammatically precise):

Can I borrow 50 shekels from you?

אֶפְשָׁר לִלְווֹת מִמְּךָ 50 שְׁקָלִים?

I can lend you up to 200.

אֲנִי יָכוֹל לְהַלְווֹת לְךָ עַד מָאתַיִים.

From a grammatical point of view, this distinction is clean, logical, and consistent.

Everyday speech (money)

In everyday spoken Hebrew, however, many speakers simplify the system. It is very common to hear the paal form לִלְווֹת used on both sides of the exchange, even when the meaning is clearly “to lend.”

Example (natural, everyday speech):

Can I borrow 50 shekels from you?

אֶפְשָׁר לִלְווֹת מִמְּךָ 50 שְׁקָלִים?

I can lend you up to 200.

אֲנִי יָכוֹל לִלְווֹת לְךָ עַד מָאתַיִים.

Grammatically, the second sentence is not precise — but in real life, it is extremely common and easily understood. This is often where learners feel confused: the grammar is consistent, but spoken Hebrew does not always apply it strictly.

Objects: another paal–hifil pair

When the topic shifts from money to physical objects, Hebrew switches to a different — but equally systematic — paal–hifil pair:

• paal — to borrow an object - לִשְׁאוֹל 

• hifil — to lend an object - לְהַשְׁאִיל 

Example (standard usage):

Can I borrow one of your cars?

אֶפְשָׁר לִשְׁאוֹל אֶחָד מֵהָרְכָבִים שֶׁלָּכֶם?

Yes, we can lend you the Toyota.

כֵּן, אֲנַחְנוּ יְכוֹלִים לְהַשְׁאִיל לְךָ אֶת הֲטוֹיוֹטָה.

Here again, the logic is the same: paal describes receiving, hifil describes causing someone else to receive.

Informal shortcuts (objects)

In casual situations — especially among friends, and when it is clear that the borrowing is temporary — speakers often bypass the verb pair entirely.

Example (informal, natural speech):

Can I take one of your cars?

אֶפְשָׁר לָקַחַת אֶחָד מֵהָרְכָבִים שֶׁלָּכֶם?

Yes, we can give you the Toyota.

כֵּן, אֲנַחְנוּ יְכוֹלִים לָתֵת לְךָ אֶת הֲטוֹיוֹטָה.

Here, general verbs like לָקַחַת (“to take”) and לָתֵת (“to give”) replace the precise paal–hifil structure, with context doing the work.

Seeing the pattern clearly

When you look at these verbs side by side, the pattern becomes obvious: Hebrew consistently pairs a paal verb with a hifil verb to express the difference between receiving and giving — whether the topic is money or objects.

In Hebrew, paal typically describes the basic action, while hifil often expresses causation — making someone else perform that action.

Spoken Hebrew may blur the distinction, but the underlying system remains stable.

The takeaway

Hebrew does distinguish between borrowing and lending — and it does so in a highly systematic way.

• The distinction is built into paal–hifil verb pairs

• One verb describes receiving, the other causing someone else to receive

• Everyday speech often simplifies or bypasses the system

Once you recognize the pattern, these verbs stop feeling arbitrary — even when native speakers bend the rules.