1
Friends
and Money
Paul and Katia
discuss the difficulty
of lending money to
friends.
Paul: Hi, this is Paul from
England speaking with
Katia from Mexico. Today
we are speaking about
friends and money. Katia, if
a friend came to you asking
to borrow some money,
what would your reaction
be?
Katia: If I have a good
friend that really needs the
money then, of course, if I
have the money, I would
probably lend it.
Paul: So, in what situation
would you lend your friend
money?
Katia: Well, for example,
it's a person that is really
trying their best to have
money and it's in a
situation that it's an
emergency and needs the
money then I would lend
it. What about you Paul?
Paul: Yeah, I would lend...
I would be a little bit
nervous to lend a close
friend money because I
think that money can
sometimes affect a
friendship.
Katia: I guess that's true.
Do you have a bad
experience with it?
Paul: Actually, I do. Yeah.
I've had a bad experience
of a very close friend of
mine. He was asking for
money from me and at first
just once and then twice
and then he started asking
for more money and it
actually had a big effect on
our friendship.
Katia: Are you still
friends?
Paul: Oh, we're not. We're
not friends anymore, but
he did buy his car.
Katia: Oh, wow! This was
for a car.
Paul: Yeah, he kind of
cheated me out of a lot of
money, so he was working
as well and he was trying to
save some money and in
the end he bought his car
but he lost his friend.
www.elllo.org : Interview #900 : Friends and Money
Katia: Yeah, I guess that's
very difficult to say, but
what about... would you
ask for money if you need
it?
Paul: Personally, I think
before I asked a friend for
money I would prefer to
either ask my parents or
my sister. How about you if
you were in that situation?
Katia: Well, if I had no
choice, and not asked my
family, I could ask my
friend. Of course, he has to
be a very good friend and
for a very good reason for
me to ask for money.
Paul: So could you lend
me some money, cause I'd
like to go to Hawaii next
week?
Katia: Well, Paul let me
think about that one.
Paul: OK. Thank you.
 2

Comprehension Page elllo.org

A) Main Points: Answer the following questions about the interview.
1) When would Katia lend money? 3) What did his friend do?

a) Anytime a) Bought a car

b) In an emergency b) Lended Paul money
c) Never c) Lost his car

2) How does Paul feel about lending money? 4) Who would they prefer to ask for money?

a) It’s no big deal. a) Friends

b) He enjoys doing it. b) Family
c) He tries to avoid it. c) A bank

B) Phrase Match: Match the phrases on the left with the example on the right.

1) affect a friendship eventually; later on

2) a bad experience cause it to change

3) a very close friend an unpleasant situation

4) a big effect strong relationship

5) in the end significant result

C) Unscramble: Put the mixed up sentences in the correct order.

1)

| a friend | to borrow money | you say | what would | if | what |

wanted | ?

2)

| situation | your | money | friend | would you | lend | in what | ?

3)

| ask | moeny | needed it | for | would you | you | if | ?

How would MB
respond to the
4) questions?
And You?
| would you | first, | or | ask | your friends | your parents | who | ?
www.elllo.org : Interview #900 : Friends and Money

Bits and Pieces
Put the PHRASES in the spaces
would lend it
asked a friend
lend me
save some
asking for money
lend it
cheated me
nervous to lend
Paul: Hi, this is Paul from England
speaking with Katia from Mexico. Today
we are speaking about friends and money.
Katia, if a friend came to you asking to
borrow some money, what would your
reaction be?
Katia: If I have a good friend that really
needs the money then, of course, if I have
the money, I would probably lend it.
Paul: So, in what situation would you lend
your friend money?
Katia: Well, for example, it's a person that
is really trying their best to have money
and it's in a situation that it's an emergency
and needs the money then I would lend
it. What about you Paul?
Paul: Yeah, I would lend... I would be a
little bit nervous to lend a close friend
money because I think that money can
sometimes affect a friendship.
Katia: I guess that's true. Do you have a
bad experience with it?
3
elllo.org
Paul: Actually, I do. Yeah. I've had a bad
experience of a very close friend of mine.
He was asking for money from me and
at first just once and then twice and then
he started asking for more money and it
actually had a big effect on our friendship.
Katia: Are you still friends?
Paul: Oh, we're not. We're not friends
anymore, but he did buy his car.
Katia: Oh, wow! This was for a car.
Paul: Yeah, he kind of cheated me out of
a lot of money, so he was working as well
and he was trying to save some money
and in the end he bought his car but he
lost his friend.
Katia: Yeah, I guess that's very difficult to
say, but what about... would you ask for
money if you need it?
Paul: Personally, I think before I asked a
friend for money I would prefer to either
ask my parents or my sister. How about
you if you were in that situation?
Katia: Well, if I had no choice, and not
asked my family, I could ask my friend. Of
course, he has to be a very good friend and
for a very good reason for me to ask for
money.
Paul: So could you lend me some money,
cause I'd like to go to Hawaii next week?
Katia: Well, Paul let me think about that
one.
Paul: OK. Thank you.
www.elllo.org : Interview #900 : Friends and Money
 4

What do you think? elllo.org

Discussion
1. If a friend wanted to borrow
money from you, how would
you react?
2. In what situation would you
lend your friend money?
3. Have you ever had a bad
experience lending or
borrowing money?
4. Would you ask a friend for
money if you needed it?
5. Who would ask first, your
parents or one of your friends? them completely, I usually offer
Write the number of the question being answered in the box
Kushal - India
If someone close to me was
desperate for money, I would be glad
to help them out. However, instead
of thinking of it as a loan, I would
think of it as a gift. That way, if I
never got the money back, I
wouldn’t feel disappointed, bitter, or
angry.
Dominic - UK
When someone wants to borrow
money from me, instead of rejecting
about a third of what they are
asking. For example, if they want
$100, I will give them $30. That way,
you make them happy but you risk
losing as much money. I’m also not
shy about setting a date for
repayment.
Franz - Germany
Even if you think you know
someone well, money may change
your relationship. There are always
deep emotions attached to money
and if your friend pays you back
late or doesn’t pay you back at all,
the friendship may be ruined.
Personally, I would say no by
explaining that I value the
friendship to much to risk it.
Christine - US
It depends on what I was asking
for and how much. If I wanted to
borrow money for something
responsible, like a down payment
on a house, then I would ask my
parents. If I wanted to buy
something irresponsible, like a trip
to Las Vegas, then I would borrow
from a friend who wouldn’t give
me a lecture on my decisions.

Write about one of the discussion questions:

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www.elllo.org : Interview #900 : Friends and Money

 5

Comprehension Page elllo.org

A) Main Points: Answer the following questions about the interview.
1) When would Katia lend money? 3) What did his friend do?

a) Anytime a) Bought a car

b) In an emergency b) Lended Paul money
c) Never c) Lost his car

2) How does Paul feel about lending money? 4) Who would they prefer to ask for money?

a) It’s no big deal. a) Friends

b) He enjoys doing it. b) Family
c) He tries to avoid it. c) A bank

B) Phrase Match: Match the phrases on the left with the example on the right.

1) affect a friendship 5 eventually; later on

2) a bad experience 1 cause it to change

3) a very close friend 2 an unpleasant situation

4) a big effect 3 strong relationship

5) in the end 4 significant result

C) Unscramble: Put the mixed up sentences in the correct order.

1) What would you say if a friend wanted to borrow

money?

| a friend | to borrow money | you say | what would | if | what |

wanted | ?

2) In what situation would you lend your friend money?

| situation | your | money | friend | would you | lend | in what | ?

3) Would you ask for money if you needed it?

| ask | money | needed it | for | would you | you | if | ?

How would Paul

and Katia
4) Who would you ask first, your friends or your parents? respond to the
questions?
| would you | first, | or | ask | your friends | yourwww.elllo.org
parents | who | ?
: Interview #900 :And
Friends and Money
You?

Bits and Pieces
Put the PHRASES in the spaces
would lend it
asked a friend
lend me
save some
asking for money
lend it
cheated me
nervous to lend
Paul: Hi, this is Paul from England
speaking with Katia from Mexico. Today
we are speaking about friends and money.
Katia, if a friend came to you asking to
borrow some money, what would your
reaction be?
Katia: If I have a good friend that really
needs the money then, of course, if I have
the money, I would probably __________.
Paul: So, in what situation would you lend
your friend money?
Katia: Well, for example, it's a person that
is really trying their best to have money
and it's in a situation that it's an emergency
and needs the money then I __________.
What about you Paul?
Paul: Yeah, I would lend... I would be a
little bit __________ a close friend money
because I think that money can sometimes
affect a friendship.
Katia: I guess that's true. Do you have a
bad experience with it?
6
elllo.org
Paul: Actually, I do. Yeah. I've had a bad
experience of a very close friend of mine.
He was __________ from me and at first
just once and then twice and then he
started asking for more money and it
actually had a big effect on our friendship.
Katia: Are you still friends?
Paul: Oh, we're not. We're not friends
anymore, but he did buy his car.
Katia: Oh, wow! This was for a car.
Paul: Yeah, he kind of __________ out of a
lot of money, so he was working as well and
he was trying to __________ money and in
the end he bought his car but he lost his
friend.
Katia: Yeah, I guess that's very difficult to
say, but what about... would you ask for
money if you need it?
Paul: Personally, I think before I
__________ for money I would prefer to
either ask my parents or my sister. How
about you if you were in that situation?
Katia: Well, if I had no choice, and not
asked my family, I could ask my friend. Of
course, he has to be a very good friend and
for a very good reason for me to ask for
money.
Paul: So could you __________ some
money, cause I'd like to go to Hawaii next
week?
Katia: Well, Paul let me think about that
one.
Paul: OK. Thank you.
www.elllo.org : Interview #900 : Friends and Money