B1 · Modal verbs and infinitives · about 7 minutes
Laten maken, laat maar, laten we: the verb laten
to let, to have done, and more
laten has things done, allows and suggests — laten we gaan means “let’s go”.
Do you know this already?
“New to me”: the explanation first, then practice. “Test myself”: 3 short questions – get at least two right and you go straight to the harder exercises.
Words you will need3
They appear in this topic’s examples and exercises and are new at this point on the learning path.
- latento let, to leave; to have (something done)
- knippento cut (with scissors)
- nadenkento think (about), to reflect
Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary
Understand
Remember“Show” = laten zien; “let’s” = laten we.
- Signal words
- laat
- laten
- liet
- Laten we
- Laat maar
The form
The forms and what they mean
Each row gives the meaning first, then the form in Dutch.
| I let | ik laat |
| you let | jij laat |
| we let | wij laten |
| past tense | liet / lieten |
| perfect | Ik heb mijn fiets laten maken. |
| suggestion | Laten we …! |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
laten + infinitive: to have something done.
We laten de auto repareren.We are having the car repaired.
laten + infinitive: to allow something.
Ze laat de kinderen buiten spelen.She lets the children play outside.
Laten we … is a suggestion.
Laten we iets drinken.Let’s have something to drink.
laten zien means “to show”.
Kun je me de foto’s laten zien?Can you show me the photos?
In the perfect laten stays an infinitive.
Ik heb mijn fiets laten maken.I have had my bike repaired.
Example sentences
Ik laat mijn haar knippen.I am having my hair cut.
Laat me even denken.Let me think for a moment.
Laten we morgen verder praten.Let’s carry on talking tomorrow.
6 more example sentences
Hij liet zijn telefoon vallen.He dropped his phone.
Laat je het me even weten?Will you let me know?
Laat maar, ik doe het zelf.Never mind, I’ll do it myself.
Laat hem maar slapen.Just let him sleep.
We laten een nieuwe keuken bouwen.We are having a new kitchen built.
Laten we het zo doen.Let’s do it this way.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
For “show” English speakers look for a verb of its own and find tonen, “to display”. It exists but sounds stiff in everyday talk. Normal is laten zien, literally “let see”.
Quick check
A warm-up: 2 questions, answered straight away. They do not count towards your progress.
Practise
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Your progress
What your lesson on this topic shows:
The lesson decides this, not a button: passed at 80% on the first try, mastered when you pass it again on another day.
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The full explanation
Read it all · about 1 min
laten covers English “let” and “have something done”: Ik laat mijn haar knippen. “I am having my hair cut.” Laat me even denken. “Let me think for a moment.” As with the modals, the second infinitive stands at the end without te.
As a suggestion laten we opens the sentence: Laten we gaan! “Let’s go!” It is a little more formal than Zullen we gaan? “Shall we go?” and sounds more decided. English “let’s” and Dutch laten we are the same thing, down to the word.
Common set phrases: Laat maar. “Never mind, forget it.” iets laten vallen“to drop something”iets laten weten“to let somebody know”iets laten zien“to show something”
A closer look
Three meanings in one verb
Whether laten means “have done” or “allow” is clear from the context: Ik laat mijn fiets repareren (I hand it in for repair) against Ik laat de kat binnen (I allow it). English has “have” for the first and “let” for the second; Dutch has one verb for both.
Exceptions and special cases2
Exception
When laten has no infinitive with it
then it means “to leave, to leave behind”: Laat je jas maar hier.
Ik laat de sleutel bij de buren.I am leaving the key with the neighbours.
Why? Same as English “leave”.
Exception
When it is about passing on a message
then say laten weten, literally “let know”: Laat je het weten?
Laat maar weten als je hulp nodig hebt.Just let me know if you need help.
Why? In Dutch this is completely everyday.
Worth knowing2
Worth knowing
Laten we or laat ons
In Flanders you often hear laat ons for the suggestion: Laat ons gaan. In the Netherlands laten we is usual.
Laten we beginnen.Let’s start.
Worth knowing
The object stands in between
Whoever has something done puts the object between laten and the infinitive: Ik laat de monteur de auto nakijken. As in English: “I have the mechanic check the car”.
Ze laat haar zoon de afwas doen.She gets her son to do the washing-up.
The verbs on this page, in every form: laten · hebben · weten · doen · zien · maken · spelen · vallen