Why Prestar Is More Than "To Lend"
Prestar is the everyday verb for lending, and it is regular. Its mirror image is pedir prestado (to borrow); see [Pedir] Chunks. But it also gives you chunks that have nothing to do with objects: attention, help and the useful se presta a.
Learn the six chunks below and you will lend, help and describe things that "lend themselves" to something.
Pattern 1: ¿Me prestas…? — "Can you lend me…?"
Use prestar plus the thing, and me, te, le for who gets it. In Spain, dejar is also very common for lending: déjame tu bolígrafo; see [Dejar] Chunks.
- Préstame tu bolígrafo, por favor. — Lend me your pen, please.
- Le presté el coche a mi hermano. — I lent my brother the car.
- ¿Me prestas veinte pesos? — Can you lend me twenty pesos?
Chunk to learn:
¿Me prestas + [algo]? / Prestar + [algo] + a + [persona]
Pattern 2: Prestar atención — "To pay attention"
You "lend" your attention. Use a for the thing you attend to. For noticing details, see [Fijarse] Chunks.
- Presta atención, que esto es importante. — Pay attention, this is important.
- No presté atención a la hora. — I didn't pay attention to the time.
- Presten atención a la pizarra. — Pay attention to the board. (to a class)
Chunk to learn:
Prestar atención (a + [algo])
Pattern 3: Prestar ayuda / un servicio — "To provide help / a service"
A more formal use of the same verb: offering help, support or a service. It is common in news and official language. For helping in everyday speech, see [Ayudar] Chunks.
- Los vecinos prestaron ayuda tras la tormenta. — The neighbors gave help after the storm.
- La empresa presta servicio a todo el país. — The company provides service across the country.
- Prestamos apoyo a las familias. — We provide support to families.
Chunk to learn:
Prestar + [ayuda / un servicio / apoyo]
Pattern 4: Se presta a… — "It lends itself to…"
Use it for something that makes a certain result easy: confusion, debate, jokes. It sounds educated and natural in discussion. For saying things, see [Decir] Chunks.
- Eso se presta a confusión. — That lends itself to confusion.
- El tema se presta al debate. — The topic lends itself to debate.
- La frase se presta a dos interpretaciones. — The sentence can be read two ways.
Chunk to learn:
Prestarse a + [confusión / debate / interpretaciones]
Pattern 5: Prestarse a… — "To volunteer / agree to…"
With a person as subject, prestarse a plus an infinitive means to offer or agree to do something. In the negative, it is how you refuse to take part. For courage, see [Atreverse] Chunks.
- Se prestó a ayudarnos. — He volunteered to help us.
- Nadie se prestó a hablar. — Nobody agreed to speak.
- No me presto a ese juego. — I won't take part in that game.
Chunk to learn:
Prestarse a + [infinitivo] / No me presto a…
Pattern 6: De prestado — "On loan / borrowed"
The participle prestado / prestada says something is borrowed. Vivir de prestado is a fixed chunk for living off others. For living somewhere, see [Vivir] Chunks.
- Esta bici es prestada. — This bike is borrowed.
- Tengo el coche prestado. — I have the car on loan.
- Vive de prestado en casa de un amigo. — He's living off a friend's goodwill.
Chunk to learn:
Prestado/a / Tener algo prestado / Vivir de prestado
Prestar vs. Pedir Prestado vs. Dejar
Prestar is you giving something temporarily. Pedir prestado is you receiving it. In Spain, dejar also means to lend: ¿me dejas tu móvil? The noun el préstamo is a loan. Te presto el libro and te pido prestado el libro describe the two sides of the same favor.
Start with ¿me prestas…? and presta atención. You will use both within a day of talking with Spanish speakers.
This post is part of the Spanish Chunk Series — a growing collection of chunk patterns for natural Spanish.