“Lend” and “loan” are often used interchangeably in everyday language, but traditionally, they have distinct grammatical roles. “Lend” is primarily used as a verb, while “loan” is used as a noun. Knowing the proper usage of each can help in maintaining precise and effective communication.
Lend
Definition:
“Lend” is a verb that means to give something to someone temporarily, expecting it to be returned.
Examples of use:
Please lend me $20. (Requesting to borrow money temporarily.)
Can you lend me your book for the weekend?
She offered to lend a helping hand with the project.
Loan
Definition:
“Loan” is a noun that refers to the act of lending something, especially money, or the item/money that is lent.
Examples of use:
The $20 is a gift, not a loan. (Refers to money given with the expectation of it being returned.)
He took out a loan to pay for his new car.
The bank approved her loan application for a small business.
While “lend” is a verb used to describe the action of temporarily giving something, “loan” is a noun referring to the object or money being given. Although these terms are often used interchangeably in casual speech, maintaining their traditional distinctions in formal writing ensures clarity and accuracy.
