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owe

Meaning in simple English, pronunciation and examples

Pronunciation: US /oʊ/ · UK /əʊ/

Forms: owes, owed

owe means: To need to pay money or give something to someone because you have received something from them.

verb

DEBT TO PAYA2

To need to pay money or give something to someone because you have received something from them.

  • I owe you ten pounds.
  • She owes money to the bank.
  • How much do we owe for dinner?

How to use it: owe someone something (I owe my brother twenty euros.); owe something to someone (She owes three hundred pounds to her landlord.)

Similar words: be liable for

Common phrases: owe someone money, owe rent, owe something to someone

PERSONAL DEBTB1

To feel you must repay someone with money, help, or a favour.

  • Thanks for helping; I owe you one.
  • She felt she owed him for his kindness.
  • You saved my evening, and I really owe you.

How to use it: owe someone for something (I owe you for all your help.)

Similar words: be indebted to

Common phrases: owe someone, owe someone one, owe someone for something

THANK FORB2

To have someone or something to thank for something good in your life.

  • I owe my success to my parents.
  • She owes a lot to her first teacher.
  • He owed his life to the rescue team.

How to use it: owe something to someone/something (She owes her career to years of practice.)

Similar words: be indebted to

Common phrases: owe everything to someone, owe someone a lot, owe success to someone

DUTY TO GIVEB2

To have a duty to give someone something or do something for them.

  • You owe her an apology.
  • We owe our children a safe home.
  • I felt I owed him an explanation.

How to use it: owe someone something (They owe us an explanation.); owe it to someone to do something (We owe it to our children to protect the forests.)

Common phrases: owe someone an apology, owe someone respect, owe it to someone

HAVE AS CAUSEC1

To be caused by, or exist because of, something.

  • The film’s appeal owes much to its music.
  • The delay owed to a shortage of staff.
  • Their success owes partly to careful planning.

How to use it: owe to something (The town’s growth owes to its excellent transport links.)

Similar words: result from, stem from

Common phrases: owe to something, owe much to something

BE IN DEBTB2

To have debts that you still need to pay.

  • I cannot borrow more while I still owe.
  • She owes heavily after buying the farm.
  • Even after selling everything, they still owed.

Similar words: be in debt

Common phrases: still owe, owe heavily

Questions about owe

What does owe mean?

To need to pay money or give something to someone because you have received something from them.

What is owe in other languages?

Türkçe: borçlu olmak · Español: deber · Français: devoir · Deutsch: schulden · Italiano: dovere · 日本語: 借りがある

How do you pronounce owe?

In American English /oʊ/; in British English /əʊ/.

How do you use owe in a sentence?

I owe you ten pounds. She owes money to the bank.

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