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"to let, to allow; to leave" in seven languages

Meaningto let, to allow; to leave

Spanish

dejar

/deˈxaɾ/

inherited

Old Spanish lexar; the d- is of uncertain origin.

French

laisser

/lese/

inherited

Italian

lasciare

/laʃˈʃare/

inherited

Portuguese

deixar

/dejˈʃah/

inherited

Romanian

lăsa

/ləˈsa/

inherited

Catalan

deixar

/dəˈʃa/

inherited

English

let

/lɛt/

native English · Old English lǣtan

English → Italianto let, to allow; to leavelasciareNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: relax, lax, release, lease.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

LAXĀRE‘to loosen, slacken’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

To let something happen is to loosen your grip: LAXĀRE. All three also mean 'to leave (behind)': dejé las llaves, j'ai laissé les clés, ho lasciato le chiavi.

English relatives: relax, lax, release, lease

Learn it

Practice the Core verbs deckQuiz a friend on it

In a sentence

  • esDéjalo dormir.
  • frLaisse-le dormir.
  • itLascialo dormire.
  • ptDeixa ele dormir.
  • roLasă-l să doarmă.
  • caDeixa'l dormir.
  • enLet him sleep.

More words from the same Latin

More in Core verbs

All Core verbs words