loan a car

Meanings

1. 1phraseidiom

   to let someone use a car for a short time, expecting it to be returned

   Grammar: The verb 'loan' takes an indirect object: loan someone a car. You can also say loan a car to someone.

   Patterns

   • loan someone a car
   • loan a car to someone

   My brother loaned me a car while mine was in the shop.

   She loaned a car to her cousin for the weekend.

   Could you loan a car to the visitors from the office?

2. 2phraseidiomfinance

   to obtain a car through a loan agreement, usually paying monthly

   Grammar: Often used with 'to': loan a car to someone. The focus is on the financial arrangement, not just temporary use.

   Patterns

   • loan a car to someone
   • loan someone a car

   The bank agreed to loan a car to the new employee as part of his relocation package.

   They loaned a car to the charity for the event.

   The dealership will loan a car to you if your credit is approved.

Common combinations

loan a car to someone

He loaned a car to his friend for the weekend.

loan someone a car

Can you loan me a car while I look for a new one?

loan a car for the weekend

They loaned a car for the weekend and drove to the coast.

Synonyms and how they differ

lend a car

More common in British English; 'loan a car' is more typical in American English.

rent a car

Use when you pay a company to use a car, not when a person lets you borrow theirs.

hire a car

British English for renting a car; not used for borrowing from a person.

Word family

loan noun

An amount of money borrowed, or the act of lending.

loaner noun

A car lent to someone while their own is being repaired.

Commonly confused: loan a car or borrow a car?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “loan a car”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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