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German vocabulary · Beginner

How do you say "borrow" in German?

ausleihen

Verb

In German, "borrow" is ausleihen.

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Pronunciation

Pronounced 'OWS-lye-en', stress on the first syllable, with 'au' as an ow sound and 'ei' as an eye sound.

Grammar notes

ausleihen is a verb (infinitive form). Use it after modal verbs, or conjugate it to match the subject.

Example sentence

Darf ich deinen Stift ausleihen?

May I borrow your pen?

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How to remember ausleihen

Ausleihen combines aus (out) and leihen (to lend) — to borrow is to take something 'lent out' to you.

Related words

Browse all German words in the glossary.

Questions about ausleihen

How do you say "borrow" in German?

In German, "borrow" is ausleihen. It is a verb.

How is ausleihen used in a sentence?

Use ausleihen as you would use the equivalent verb in English. For example: Darf ich deinen Stift ausleihen? (May I borrow your pen?).

Where can I practice German words for free?

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"Borrow" in other languages

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