LET

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LET

Let means: allow, permission, possible, suggestion, rent out

Subject + LET + Object + Bare Infinitive (infinitive without « to »)
LET can mean « allow », « give permission ».
You allow someone to do something (or not):
Darling, I let you drive my car. (I don’t let you drive my car).
I let you use my computer.
I let you take a day off.

Someone allow you to do something:
My father let me play with his computer.
My parents let me go to the party tonight.
My boss let me leave early today.
Interrogative form: Why did you let him do that?

LET can mean « it’s possible »:
Your student card lets you book discount theater seats.

Let’s + Bare Infinitive: used to make suggestions:
Let’s go to the theater saturday evening. (Let’s = suggestion)

Let’s / Let us / Lets :
Let’s: we are making a suggestion. (shortened version of « let us »).
Let’s go to the cinema.
Let us: we are asking for permission.
Let us do this.
Lets: in simple present tense, if the subject is 3rd person singular (He, she, it), we use lets.
She always lets me win. (subject: He/she/it => 3rd person singular => simple present => lets.
You can notice the difference between:
a suggestion: Let’s watch the film.
a permission: Let us watch the film tonight, Daddy. (please, it’s sunday tomorrow).

LET + Object Pronoun + Bare Infinitive:
Me, you, him/her/it, us, you, them.
Let me talk.
Let them speak.

LET + Reflexive pronouns: (we allow ourselves to do something)
I will never let myself be influenced by you. You’re always talking nonsense!
Don’t let yourself down.
The prisoner opened the door and let himself out.
She don’t let herself be talked like that. I recommand you to be diplomate.
The two otages had opened the door and let themselves out.

Don’t forget:
to LET (verb) means also TO RENT OUT a house, a property:
He lets his house in Paris when he moved to London.

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