Meaning trap
pay back
return money
to give someone the money that you borrowed from them.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to give someone the money that you borrowed from them.
Another meaning of 'pay back' is 'get revenge'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
I’ll pay you back as soon as I get my salary.
If I ever borrow money from a friend, I always make sure to pay them back quickly because I don’t want to damage our relationship.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: I'll pay back you tomorrow.
Say: I'll pay you back tomorrow.
With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'pay you back'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Pay back' is the everyday phrase for returning money; 'reimburse' is formal/admin.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
pay + back + money
- you back
- the loan
- back £50
- in instalments
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- pay back (get revenge) — Another meaning of 'pay back' is 'get revenge'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.