German Phrase
Kannst du mir bitte einen Bleistift leihen?
Meaning
Literally: “Can you lend me a pencil, please?” The speaker is asking someone else to temporarily give them a pencil. The request is polite thanks to the word bitte and the modal verb kannst.
When to use
Use this sentence in informal settings such as a classroom, a shared office, or a study group when you need a writing instrument for a short time. It works best with people you know well enough to use the informal du form.
✦Grammar Breakdown
KannstdumirbitteeinenBleistiftleihen?
Modalverb können (2. Person Singular)
„Kannst“ is the present‑tense 2nd‑person singular form of können. It creates a yes/no question when placed before the subject.
Dativpronomen mir
The person who receives the loan is expressed with the dative pronoun mir (to me).
Politeness particle bitte
„Bitte“ softens the request and is the standard way to say “please” in German.
Accusative object einen Bleistift
The thing being lent is the direct object, therefore it appears in the accusative case with the masculine indefinite article einen.
Verb leihen (dative + accusative)
Leihen takes a dative for the person who receives the item and an accusative for the item itself: jemandem etwas leihen.
🗨In Conversation
Kannst du mir bitte einen Bleistift leihen?
Can you lend me a pencil, please?
Klar, hier hast du ihn.
Sure, here you go.
✕Common Mistakes
Kannst du mich bitte einen Bleistift leihen?
The pronoun must be dative (mir) because the person is receiving the loan, not accusative.
Kannst du mir bitte einen Bleistift ausleihen?
Using ausleihen is possible but changes the nuance to “borrow from me” rather than “lend to me”. For a simple request, stick with leihen.
Können Sie mir bitte einen Bleistift leihen?
In formal contexts you must use Sie instead of du and adjust the verb accordingly.
↔Alternatives
Könntest du mir bitte einen Bleistift geben?
Could you give me a pencil, please?
Hast du einen Bleistift, den ich ausleihen kann?
Do you have a pencil I could borrow?
Darf ich dir einen Bleistift leihen?
May I borrow a pencil from you?
Cultural Tip
In German, politeness is often expressed by adding bitte and by using the conditional form könntest instead of the plain kannst when you want to sound especially courteous. Also remember that leihen requires a dative for the person receiving the item and an accusative for the item itself – a common source of errors for learners.