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let

A1 (fundamental)
UK/lɛt/US/lɛt/

Neutral to informal; extremely common in all registers except highly technical writing.

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Definition

Meaning

to allow or permit something to happen

To allow or permit; to cause something to happen; to rent out property; to release (sports).

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

In its core permission sense, 'let' often implies a deliberate decision not to prevent. It is weaker than 'allow' and much weaker than 'permit'. The sense 'to rent out' is common in British English, where American English often uses 'rent'. In sports (tennis, volleyball), it refers to a serve that touches the net but lands correctly in play.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

The transitive sense 'to rent/lease property' is dominant in UK usage ('to let a flat'). In US usage, this is largely confined to formal or legal contexts; 'rent' or 'lease' is preferred. 'Let' as 'to hinder/obstruct' (as in 'without let or hindrance') is archaic but appears in UK legal language.

Connotations

The UK property 'To Let' sign is ubiquitous. The US expression 'let on' (to reveal) is slightly more informal. 'Let's' is universal.

Frequency

The permission/allow sense is equally frequent. The rental sense is significantly more frequent in UK English.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
let golet me knowlet uslet it belet someone do something
medium
let looselet sliplet downlet outlet inlet off
weak
let blood (archaic)let the cat out of the baglet fly

Grammar

Valency Patterns

let + object + infinitive without 'to'let + object + prepositional phrase/adverblet + object + adjective

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

authorizesanction

Neutral

allowpermitenable

Weak

give leave togive the go-ahead

Vocabulary

Antonyms

forbidpreventstopprohibithinder

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “let sleeping dogs lie”
  • “let off steam”
  • “let the chips fall where they may”
  • “let bygones be bygones”
  • “live and let live”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

"The contract lets us terminate with 30 days' notice." (Permits)

Academic

"The experiment was designed to let the variable react naturally." (Allow to occur)

Everyday

"Can you let the dog out?" "Let me think for a moment."

Technical

"The valve lets pressure equalise." (Allows a physical process)

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

  • She wouldn't let me borrow her car.
  • They decided to let their London flat for the summer.
  • It's a let! The serve hit the net.

American English

  • My parents let me stay out until midnight.
  • The company is looking to let the vacant office space.
  • The referee called a let on that last serve.

adverb

British English

  • (Not standard)

American English

  • (Not standard)

adjective

British English

  • A let property must meet safety standards. (From verb, used attributively)
  • The 'To Let' sign was bright red.

American English

  • (Rare as adjective) The let serve decided the point.

Examples

By CEFR Level

A2
  • Let me help you with those bags.
  • The teacher lets us play games on Friday.
  • Don't let the door close!
B1
  • He finally let slip that he was getting married.
  • The new software lets you work much faster.
  • We need to let the paint dry completely.
B2
  • The agreement lets the smaller company use the patented technology.
  • She felt let down by her friend's silence.
  • He let out a deep sigh of relief.
C1
  • The judge's ruling lets stand the lower court's decision.
  • The porous membrane lets only certain molecules through.
  • His pride wouldn't let him admit he was wrong.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of a LETter that gives you permission. Or, imagine a tennis player shouting 'Let!' when the ball hits the net.

Conceptual Metaphor

PERMISSION IS RELEASING A HOLD (let go, let loose); OPPORTUNITY IS AN OPENING (let in, let out).

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

  • Не путать с 'let' (позволять) и 'let' (сдавать в аренду).
  • Конструкция 'let + объект + инфинитив без to' часто вызывает ошибки (например, 'He let me to go' - неправильно).
  • 'Let's' является сокращением от 'let us', но используется для предложений, а не для разрешения.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'to' after let (INCORRECT: 'She let him to leave'. CORRECT: 'She let him leave').
  • Confusing 'let' and 'leave' (INCORRECT: 'I let my keys at home'. CORRECT: 'I left my keys at home.').
  • Using 'let' in the passive voice for permission is often awkward; 'allowed' is better (AWKWARD: 'I was let go early'. BETTER: 'I was allowed to go early.').

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
The landlord decided to the apartment to a young couple.
Multiple Choice

Which sentence uses 'let' CORRECTLY?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

'Let' is the most common and informal, often for personal permission. 'Allow' is more neutral and formal. 'Permit' is the most formal, suggesting official authorization or rules.

Rarely for the permission sense. It sounds awkward (e.g., 'He was let go' usually means fired, not given permission). Use 'allowed to' or 'permitted to' instead for passive permission.

It belongs to a small group of causative verbs (like 'make' and 'have') that historically take the bare infinitive. This is a fixed grammatical pattern.

It means 'for rent'. A 'To Let' sign indicates a property is available for renting, typically for a longer period (like months or years).

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A1 · 50 words · Essential action words used in everyday conversation.

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