Let (verb) means to allow or permit someone to do something, to cause something to happen or move, or to rent a property to a tenant. As a noun, a let is an obstruction or hindrance — most commonly a serve in tennis that clips the net and must be replayed, or (in British English) a property available to rent.
What Does Let Mean?
Let comes from Old English lætan meaning "to leave behind, allow to remain, or permit", related to Old High German lâzan. It is one of the oldest and most versatile verbs in the language, recorded continuously since before the 10th century. An entirely separate Old English verb, lettan (to hinder, obstruct), gives us the noun use in tennis and the legal phrase without let or hindrance.
In modern British English, let as a causative verb is used in three main ways: granting permission (Let me try), making suggestions that include the speaker (Let's go), and causing a state or movement (Let the mixture cool). It is always followed by an object and a bare infinitive — the infinitive without to. This is a very common source of error for learners.
Let is also the standard British term for renting out a property. Landlords let flats; estate agents advertise properties to let; a buy-to-let mortgage is taken out specifically to finance a rental property. This use is much less common in American English, where rent out is preferred.
As one of the hundred most frequent words in English, let appears in an enormous number of fixed phrases, idioms and phrasal verbs. Mastering it — especially the let + object + bare infinitive pattern — is essential for fluent, natural English.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level & usage note |
|---|---|
| Let me explain the difference between these two prepositions. | A2 — let + object + bare infinitive (request/offer) |
| Let's meet at the café near the library at half past two. | B1 — let's + bare infinitive (suggestion including speaker) |
| Her parents don't let her stay out after ten o'clock on school nights. | B1 — let + object + bare infinitive (permission, negative) |
| The landlord decided to let the cottage to a family for the summer season. | B2 — let = rent out (British English property context) |
| It is important not to let minor setbacks undermine your long-term commitment to the project. | C1 — let = allow/cause (formal register, complex clause) |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| let somebody know | Please let me know when you arrive safely. |
| let somebody down | I promised to help, and I didn't want to let her down. |
| let somebody in / out | Can you let the dog out before you leave? |
| let somebody off | The teacher let us off early because the lesson finished ahead of time. |
| let something go | He found it very difficult to let go of his anger. |
| let slip | She accidentally let slip that she had already read the ending. |
| let's say | Let's say the meeting starts at nine — does that work for everyone? |
| to let | There is a two-bedroom flat to let on the high street. |
| let alone | He can't afford a new car, let alone a house. |
| let it be | Sometimes the wisest thing to do is simply to let it be. |
Usage Notes
Key Grammar Points
- Always use a bare infinitive after let. The pattern is let + object + infinitive (no to): "Let him speak." Never "Let him to speak."
- Let's vs lets. Let's (with apostrophe) is the contraction of let us and makes suggestions: "Let's go." Lets (no apostrophe) is the third-person singular: "She lets her students work in pairs."
- Passive voice. Let is rarely used in the passive. Instead of "He was let to leave", prefer "He was allowed to leave." The exception is the fixed phrase "be let off" (to be excused from punishment).
- British vs American English. British English uses let for renting out property; American English prefers rent out. Let's as a suggestion is equally common in both varieties.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
She let me to use her laptop. (to-infinitive after let)
She let me use her laptop. (bare infinitive — no to)
My parents don't let me going out alone. (gerund after let)
My parents don't let me go out alone. (bare infinitive)
Lets go to the beach this weekend! (missing apostrophe)
Let's go to the beach this weekend! (contraction of let us)
He was letted out of class early. (incorrect past tense)
He was let out of class early. (let is unchanged in all past forms)
Related Words
Etymology
The verb let (to allow) descends from Old English lætan ("to leave, allow to remain"), from Proto-Germanic *lætanan, related to the concept of releasing or loosening. The same root gives us late (originally "slow, sluggish") and the suffix -let in words like booklet and droplet. The entirely separate Old English verb lettan (to hinder, obstruct), from Proto-Germanic *latjan, survives only in the noun let meaning an obstruction — hence the tennis term and the legal phrase without let or hindrance, still used in British passports today.