Bedeutung
To take money with a promise to return.
Kultureller Hintergrund
There is a strong tradition of not borrowing money on Monday or in the evening, as it is believed to lead to financial bad luck. The 'micro-loan' (микрозайм) shops are ubiquitous in cities, often targeting people who need to 'занять до зарплаты' with predatory interest rates. Borrowing money is a central theme in Dostoevsky's works, representing moral decay or desperate social circumstances. Splitting bills in restaurants is becoming more common, but often one person pays and others 'занимают' their portion until they can transfer it via banking apps (like Sberbank Online).
The Direction Trap
Always double-check if you are taking or giving. Using 'занимать' when you mean 'lend' is the #1 mistake for students.
Perfective vs Imperfective
Use 'занять' for a specific one-time loan. Use 'занимать' for the general habit or the process of asking.
Bedeutung
To take money with a promise to return.
The Direction Trap
Always double-check if you are taking or giving. Using 'занимать' when you mean 'lend' is the #1 mistake for students.
Perfective vs Imperfective
Use 'занять' for a specific one-time loan. Use 'занимать' for the general habit or the process of asking.
Returning the Favor
In Russia, it's polite to return borrowed money as soon as possible, even without a reminder. It shows you are 'порядочный человек' (a person of integrity).
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the correct form of 'занимать' or 'занять'.
Вчера я _______ (занять) пять тысяч рублей у брата.
The word 'вчера' (yesterday) indicates a completed action in the past, so the perfective 'занял' is required.
Choose the correct preposition and case.
Он всегда занимает деньги _______.
In Russian, you borrow 'у' (at/from) someone + Genitive case.
Complete the dialogue with the most natural phrase.
— Мне не хватает на кофе. — Не проблема. _______
While 'Займи мне' is technically wrong, 'Займи у меня' (Borrow from me) is a common and helpful suggestion.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Which phrase fits a formal bank meeting?
'Под проценты' (at interest) is the standard formal/neutral way to discuss bank loans.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aspect Pairs
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenВчера я _______ (занять) пять тысяч рублей у брата.
The word 'вчера' (yesterday) indicates a completed action in the past, so the perfective 'занял' is required.
Он всегда занимает деньги _______.
In Russian, you borrow 'у' (at/from) someone + Genitive case.
— Мне не хватает на кофе. — Не проблема. _______
While 'Займи мне' is technically wrong, 'Займи у меня' (Borrow from me) is a common and helpful suggestion.
Which phrase fits a formal bank meeting?
'Под проценты' (at interest) is the standard formal/neutral way to discuss bank loans.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenYes, but 'брать' (to take) is more common for physical objects. 'Я взял книгу в библиотеке' is better than 'Я занял книгу'.
Yes, 'занять' is the perfective partner of 'занимать'. Use it when the borrowing is finished.
It's a common colloquialism (просторечие). It's like saying 'I seen it' in English—common in speech but wrong in writing.
'Занимать' is general. 'Брать кредит' is specifically for formal bank loans with a contract.
Use the phrase 'Я в долгах' or 'У меня есть долг'.
Yes! 'Это место занято?' means 'Is this seat taken/occupied?'.
It depends on the closeness of the relationship. Between close friends, it's normal. With a boss, it's very inappropriate.
The money is in the Accusative (деньги), and the person you borrow from is 'у' + Genitive.
Занять до завтра.
It's a slangy way to say 'borrow a small amount for a very short time'.
Verwandte Redewendungen
одалживать деньги
contrastTo lend money
взять в долг
synonymTo take in debt
жить в долг
builds onTo live in debt
перехватить денег
specialized formTo grab some cash (borrow quickly)
погасить долг
contrastTo pay off a debt
