Phrasal verbs · Free lesson
Pay someone back: return borrowed money
You have forgotten your wallet, so a friend lends you money for lunch. Tell your friend when you will return it.
Professor Scott MendozaMeaning in this lesson
pay someone back
Return money that someone lent you or paid for you with the expectation of repayment.
Example
“I’ll pay you back tonight.”
I will return the money I owe you this evening.
The short answer
Pay someone back means return money you owe that person. Say pay you back or pay him back: the pronoun goes between pay and back. The money can be the object too: pay back the money. The past form of pay is paid.
Keep track of who owes whom.
If Omar lends you money, you are the person who needs to pay him back. Back marks the return, rather than an ordinary first payment for something. With you, him or her, put the pronoun in the middle. Do not say pay back him.
From borrowing to repayment
I borrowed some money from Omar. I’ll pay him back on Friday.
Omar lent us the money. We paid him back yesterday.
I need to pay back the money I borrowed.
Pay for lunch means cover the cost of the meal. Pay a friend back means return money that friend provided. The two actions can happen at different times.
Follow the money
The loan
Omar lent me some money.
The amount owed
I owe Omar money.
The promise to return it
I’ll pay him back on Friday.
Try it now
Make the repayment clear.
Read all answers and explanations
Omar lent you money. Which promise uses him correctly?
I’ll pay him back on Friday.Him is an object pronoun and belongs between pay and back. He is a subject form; pay back him has the wrong pronoun position.
Omar lent me money. What does “I’ll pay him back” mean here?
I return the money Omar lent me.I return the money I owe Omar. I am not asking for another loan or a gift.
Choose the correct sentence about returning money to a woman yesterday.
I paid her back yesterday.The past of pay is paid. Keep her in the middle: paid her back.
Put it into practice
Send a clear repayment promise.
Keep the lunch context and tonight. Fix the position and form of the person receiving the repayment.
You lent me the lunch money. I’ll pay back you tonight.
See a model answer
You lent me the lunch money. I’ll pay you back tonight.
You refers to the friend who lent the money. The borrower promises to return it tonight.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Can I say “pay it back”?
Yes. It can refer to the borrowed money. Keep this pronoun in the middle too.
I borrowed the money, and I’ll pay it back.
Is “pay back the money” also correct?
Yes. A full noun phrase can follow back. The pronoun version is pay it back, not pay back it.
She paid back the money.
Take it into your day
I’ll pay you back promises repayment. Put you between pay and back.
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