Let them vs. Let they: ¿Cuál es la diferencia?
me, her o them.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Always use object pronouns (them, him, me) after 'let' because 'let' is a verb that requires an object to receive the action.
- Use 'them' not 'they' after let: 'Let them eat.' (Correct) vs 'Let they eat.' (Incorrect)
- The verb following the object must be in the base form: 'Let them go' (not 'to go').
- This applies to all pronouns: use me, us, him, her, and them after the word let.
Overview
¿Debo decir. Si vienes del español, esta duda es totalmente lógica. En nuestro idioma, la estructura suele serlet themolet they?
deja que ellos..., donde ellos parece el sujeto de la siguiente acción.let them y let they es un pilar fundamental para sonar natural y profesional. Mientras que let them es la forma gramaticalmente correcta y ampliamente utilizada, let they es un error que delata inmediatamente a un estudiante de nivel básico. Entender esta diferencia no se trata solo de memorizar una frase, sino de comprender cómo el inglés organiza sus piezas (sujetos y objetos) de manera distinta a la nuestra.let (que significa dejar, permitir o permitir que) es un verbo transitivo. Esto significa que siempre necesita un objeto —la persona o cosa a la que se le permite algo—. Por lo tanto, cualquier pronombre que siga inmediatamente a let debe estar en su forma de objeto.The manager should let them finish the project. (El gerente debería dejar que ellos terminen el proyecto). Aquí, the manager es el sujeto que realiza la acción de permitir. Them es el pronombre de objeto, representando a las personas que *reciben* ese permiso.ellos, en inglés no están realizando la acción principal de la oración, sino que están siendo afectados por el verbo let. Por eso, usar they sería un error gramatical, ya que they es un pronombre de sujeto, reservado exclusivamente para quien inicia la acción principal.let them, primero debemos analizar cómo el inglés construye las oraciones de permiso. El verbo let pertenece a una categoría especial llamada causative verbs (verbos causativos). Estos verbos indican que una persona o cosa causa o permite que otra realice una acción.let sea un poco tramposo para nosotros los hispanohablantes es su estructura sintáctica: verb + object + bare infinitive (verbo + objeto + infinitivo sin 'to').que y el modo subjuntivo:Deja que ellos vayan.
Let that they go, lo cual es incorrecto. El inglés prefiere una estructura más directa donde el pronombre se convierte en el objeto directo del verbo let.The boss | El jefe |lets | deja/permite |them | que ellos |leave early | salgan temprano |them actúa como un puente. Gramaticalmente, es el objeto de let, pero lógicamente es quien realiza la acción de leave. Esta dualidad es la que causa confusión.want (I want them TO go), el verbo let nunca lleva la partícula to. Decir let them to go es un error muy común causado por la interferencia del español, donde usamos el infinitivo o el subjuntivo de forma distinta.let them go.let es notablemente consistente. No importa si hablas en presente, pasado o futuro, el pronombre que le sigue siempre debe ser de objeto. Aquí tienes el patrón que debes grabar en tu mente:[Sujeto] + let + Pronombre de Objeto + Verbo en forma basethem es el elegido:let) | Objeto (Correcto tras let) | Ejemplo |I | me | Let me explain. |You | you | I will let you know. |He | him | Let him speak. |She | her | Don't let her fall. |It | it | Let it be. |We | us | Let us (Let's) go. |They | them | Let them decide. |they se transforma en them. Es exactamente lo mismo que ocurre cuando dices Los vi (I saw them) en lugar de Vi ellos.- 1Imperativos (Órdenes o sugerencias):
you está implícito. Es muy común en instrucciones o cuando pides algo.Let them enter the building.(Deja que ellos entren al edificio).Don't let them forget their passports.(No dejes que ellos olviden sus pasaportes).
- 1Declaraciones (Afirmaciones):
My teacher lets them use calculators.(Mi profesor les deja usar calculadoras).The company let them work from home last year.(La empresa les dejó trabajar desde casa el año pasado).
- 1Con sustantivos en lugar de pronombres:
casos.Let the children play.(Deja que los niños jueguen).Let Maria finish her story.(Deja que María termine su historia).
let es irregular. Su forma en presente, pasado y participio es siempre let.- Presente:
She lets them stay. - Pasado:
She let them stay yesterday. - Participio:
She has let them stay before.
let them (y sus variantes) es increíblemente versátil en el día a día. Aquí te presento las situaciones más comunes donde brillarás si lo usas correctamente:Of course, let them come! We have plenty of food.(¡Claro, deja que vengan! Tenemos mucha comida).The security guard won't let them pass without an ID.(El guardia de seguridad no los dejará pasar sin identificación).
let them para indicar que no debemos meternos en los asuntos de otros o que debemos aceptar el curso natural de las cosas. Es muy común en consejos.If they want to make their own mistakes, let them.(Si quieren cometer sus propios errores, déjalos/deja que los cometan).They are arguing again, but it's better to just let them.(Están discutiendo otra vez, pero es mejor simplemente dejarlos).
Let's)let's todo el tiempo sin darte cuenta de que es una contracción de let us. Aunque let them se refiere a otros, let's nos incluye a nosotros. Es la forma estándar de proponer un plan en inglés.It's sunny, let's go to the beach!(Está soleado, ¡vamos a la playa!).Let's not talk about work today.(No hablemos de trabajo hoy).
Let them eat cake(Que coman pasteles - frase atribuida erróneamente a María Antonieta).Live and let live(Vivir y dejar vivir).Let them have it!(¡Dales con todo! - usado a menudo en deportes o contextos de confrontación).
I posted the photos, let them see how much fun we had.(Publiqué las fotos, deja que vean lo bien que lo pasamos).
let they)- Incorrecto:
My boss won't let they participate. - Correcto:
My boss won't let them participate. - ¿Por qué ocurre? En español decimos
deja que ellos participen
. Comoelloses un pronombre de sujeto en español, nuestro cerebro elige automáticamentethey. Recuerda: después delet, siempre va el pronombre de objeto (them).
to al verbo siguiente- Incorrecto:
Please, let them to stay a bit longer. - Correcto:
Please, let them stay a bit longer. - ¿Por qué ocurre? En inglés, la mayoría de los verbos que siguen a otro van con
to(ej.I want to stay). Sin embargo,letes un verbo de excepción (causativo) que exige el infinitivo sinto. ¡Es un error muy delatador!
que literalmente- Incorrecto:
Let that them go. - Correcto:
Let them go. - ¿Por qué ocurre? Queremos traducir el
quededeja que ellos.... En inglés, esequeno existe en esta estructura. La conexión entreletythemes directa.
let them con leave them- Incorrecto:
I will leave them go. - Correcto:
I will let them go. - ¿Por qué ocurre? En español, el verbo
dejartiene dos significados: permitir (let) y abandonar/olvidar algo en un lugar (leave). Si quieres decirpermitir, usa siemprelet.
let con otros verbos que expresan ideas similares, porque la estructura gramatical cambia. Esto es lo que separa a un estudiante B1 de uno de nivel básico.Let | Permitir (informal/común) | Object + Base Verb (Sin to) | Let them go. |Allow | Permitir (más formal) | Object + TO + Verb | Allow them TO go. |Permit | Permitir (muy formal/oficial) | Object + TO + Verb | Permit them TO go. |Make | Obligar/Hacer que alguien haga algo | Object + Base Verb (Sin to) | Make them go. |let y allow:allow, tienes que usar to. Si usas let, no puedes usar to.I can't let them enter.(Correcto)I can't allow them to enter.(Correcto)I can't let them to enter.(Incorrecto)
let y make:to, pero el significado es opuesto. Let es dar libertad, make es quitarla.Let them cry.(Deja que lloren - dales permiso/espacio).Make them cry.(Hazlos llorar - oblígalos o provócalo).
let they en alguna situación, tal vez en poesía o canciones antiguas?let they es un error gramatical absoluto. Siempre usa let them.let's y let us?Let's es la contracción de let us. En el 99% de los casos, usamos let's para hacer sugerencias (Let's eat). Usamos let us sin contraer solo en contextos extremadamente formales, como en textos religiosos o discursos políticos muy solemnes (Let us pray, Let us fight for justice).let them o let him/her?let him o let her. Sin embargo, en inglés moderno es muy común usar them como un pronombre singular de género neutro cuando no conoces el género de la persona o no quieres especificarlo.- Ejemplo:
If a student forgets their book, let them borrow one.(Si un estudiante olvida su libro, deja que [él/ella] pida uno prestado).
déjalos solos?déjalos en pazo
no los molestes, solemos usar el verbo leave: Leave them alone. Si usas let, la oración quedaría incompleta porque let espera una acción: Let them be alone (Deja que estén solos).Using 'Let' with Different Pronouns
| Subject | Verb | Object Pronoun | Base Verb | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
I
|
will let
|
them
|
stay
|
I will let them stay.
|
|
You
|
should let
|
him
|
talk
|
You should let him talk.
|
|
She
|
lets
|
us
|
help
|
She lets us help.
|
|
They
|
don't let
|
her
|
drive
|
They don't let her drive.
|
|
We
|
let
|
them
|
choose
|
We let them choose.
|
|
He
|
let
|
me
|
know
|
He let me know.
|
Common Contractions with Let
| Full Form | Contraction | Usage |
|---|---|---|
|
Let us
|
Let's
|
Suggestions (Let's go!)
|
|
Do not let
|
Don't let
|
Prohibitions (Don't let them in.)
|
|
Will not let
|
Won't let
|
Future refusal (I won't let them.)
|
Meanings
The verb 'let' is a causative verb used to grant permission or allow something to happen. In English grammar, verbs are followed by object pronouns, not subject pronouns.
Permission
To give someone the freedom or consent to do something.
“My parents let them stay out until midnight.”
“Please let them finish their work before you ask questions.”
Suggestions (First Person Plural)
Using 'let us' (usually contracted to 'let's') to propose a joint action.
“Let's (let us) go to the park this afternoon.”
“Let's not tell them about the surprise yet.”
Imperative Commands
A way to issue a command or a wish regarding a third party.
“Let them try it their own way first.”
“Let him speak his mind without interruption.”
Reference Table
| Situación | Correcto (Pronombre Objeto) | Incorrecto (Pronombre Sujeto) |
|---|---|---|
|
Hablando de un grupo
|
Let `them` decide.
|
Let `they` decide.
|
|
Hablando de una mujer
|
Let `her` try.
|
Let `she` try.
|
|
Hablando de un hombre
|
Let `him` speak.
|
Let `he` speak.
|
|
Hablando de 'nosotros'
|
Let `us` go.
|
Let `we` go.
|
|
Hablando de mí mismo
|
Let `me` see.
|
Let `I` see.
|
|
Ejemplo en frase larga
|
If they are ready, `let them` begin.
|
If they are ready, `let they` begin.
|
|
Dando una orden
|
Don't worry, `let him` handle it.
|
Don't worry, `let he` handle it.
|
Espectro de formalidad
Please permit them to enter the premises. (Security/Entrance)
Please let them come in. (Security/Entrance)
Let 'em in. (Security/Entrance)
Let 'em slide through. (Security/Entrance)
Elección del pronombre: Después de 'Let'
¿Uso 'them' o 'they'?
¿El pronombre va justo después del verbo `let`?
El mundo de 'Let'
Requiere Pronombre Objeto
- let them Correcto
- let her Correcto
- let us Correcto
Seguido de Verbo Base (sin 'to')
- let them go Correcto
- let them to go Incorrecto
Frases Comunes
- Let them be. No interfieras.
- Let them know. Infórmales.
Categorías de Pronombres
Sujeto (Hace la acción)
- • I
- • You
- • He/She
- • We
- • They
Objeto (Recibe la acción)
- • Me
- • You
- • Him/Her
- • Us
- • Them
Ejemplos por nivel
Let them play.
Let them play.
Let me see.
Let me see.
Let us go.
Let us go.
Don't let them fall.
Don't let them fall.
Please let them finish their dinner.
Please let them finish their dinner.
Will you let them use your car?
Will you let them use your car?
My boss lets them work from home.
My boss lets them work from home.
Let's not let them win the game!
Let's not let them win the game!
If they are tired, let them take a break.
If they are tired, let them take a break.
Why won't you let them explain what happened?
Why won't you let them explain what happened?
Let them decide for themselves which path to take.
Let them decide for themselves which path to take.
I'll let them know about the meeting tomorrow.
I'll let them know about the meeting tomorrow.
Rather than intervening, we should let them resolve the conflict.
Rather than intervening, we should let them resolve the conflict.
The security guard wouldn't let them pass without ID.
The security guard wouldn't let them pass without ID.
Let them be as creative as they want during the workshop.
Let them be as creative as they want during the workshop.
It is better to let them fail and learn from it.
It is better to let them fail and learn from it.
To truly understand the culture, one must let them express their traditions freely.
To truly understand the culture, one must let them express their traditions freely.
Should we let them proceed with the merger despite the risks?
Should we let them proceed with the merger despite the risks?
The legislation was designed to let them operate without excessive oversight.
The legislation was designed to let them operate without excessive oversight.
Let them not be forgotten in the annals of history.
Let them not be forgotten in the annals of history.
The director's philosophy was to let them inhabit the characters entirely.
The director's philosophy was to let them inhabit the characters entirely.
One might argue that we should let them navigate the complexities of the market alone.
One might argue that we should let them navigate the complexities of the market alone.
Let them but try, and they shall find the task more difficult than anticipated.
Let them but try, and they shall find the task more difficult than anticipated.
The sovereign chose to let them remain in exile for the duration of the war.
The sovereign chose to let them remain in exile for the duration of the war.
Fácil de confundir
Learners often mix these up because in some languages (like German or Dutch), one word covers both meanings.
Both mean permission, but the grammar is different.
Both are causative, but 'let' is permission and 'make' is force.
Errores comunes
Let they go.
Let them go.
Let he play.
Let him play.
Let she see.
Let her see.
Let we start.
Let's start.
Let them to stay.
Let them stay.
Please let they finish.
Please let them finish.
He lets they work.
He lets them work.
If you let they to do it...
If you let them do it...
Let they who are ready...
Let them who are ready...
Why not let he tries?
Why not let him try?
Let they who have sinned...
Let those who have sinned...
Patrones de oraciones
Please let them ___.
I won't let them ___ until ___.
Why don't you let them ___ for a change?
Real World Usage
Let them know we're here.
I let them take ownership of their tasks.
Don't let them overcharge you at the market.
Let them leave the food at the door.
Let them talk, we know the truth.
You should let them try to tie their own shoes.
La prueba del 'Him'
let him, no let he. ¡Esa 'm' final es tu pista para usar let them!¡Ojo con 'Let's'!
(nosotros) o dices Let them go" (ellos).'Let Them Be'
They are busy, let them be.
Señal de confianza
Let them try ites una señal de empoderamiento y confianza hacia tus compañeros.
I trust them.Smart Tips
Stop and think of the word 'them' as a destination. The permission is traveling TO them.
Check for the word 'to'. Remember: Let = No 'to', Allow = Yes 'to'.
Switch 'let' to 'permit' or 'allow' to sound more professional.
Remember that 'let' is irregular and doesn't change. 'Yesterday I let them' is correct.
Pronunciación
Reduction of 'them'
In casual speech, 'them' is often reduced to ''em'.
Linking 'Let' and 'us'
When saying 'Let's', the 't' and 's' blend into a sharp 'ts' sound.
Imperative Stress
LET them go! (Stress on LET)
Emphasizes the command or permission.
Memorízalo
Mnemotecnia
Let THEM in, don't let THEY win! (Wait, that doesn't rhyme—try: Let THEM go, so they can grow!)
Asociación visual
Imagine a giant gatekeeper named 'Let'. He only allows people carrying 'Object' bags (labeled me, him, her, them) to pass through his gate to the 'Action' field.
Rhyme
Let them stay, let them play, never use 'they' in this way!
Story
A king wanted to give his people freedom. He stood on his balcony and shouted, 'Let them eat cake!' He didn't say 'Let they eat cake' because he was giving the cake TO them. They were the receivers of his kindness.
Word Web
Desafío
Look around you and find three things you would 'let' someone do. Say them out loud using 'Let them...', 'Let him...', or 'Let her...'.
Notas culturales
The phrase 'Let them eat cake' is a famous (though likely misattributed) historical quote. It uses the correct 'let them' structure to show a dismissive attitude toward the poor.
In some dialects, 'let' might be used in unique ways for emphasis, but the object pronoun 'them' (or 'em') remains the standard for this construction.
In legal documents, 'let' is rarely used. Instead, 'permit' or 'authorize' are used to avoid the casual tone of 'let'.
From Old English 'lætan', meaning to leave, allow, or leave undone.
Inicios de conversación
If you were a teacher, would you let them use phones in class?
When your friends visit your city, where do you let them stay?
How do you feel when parents let them (their children) run around in restaurants?
If you managed a team, would you let them set their own hours?
Temas para diario
Errores comunes
Test Yourself
If the players are ready for the match, then let ___ begin!
let, necesitamos un pronombre de objeto. them es el correcto para un grupo.Find and fix the mistake:
The students did their research, so the professor let they choose the topic for the final essay.
they no puede ser el objeto de let. Debes usar them.Choose the correct sentence:
let + pronombre objeto (them) + verbo base (play).Score: /3
Ejercicios de practica
8 exercisesMy teacher won't let ___ use calculators during the exam.
If the kids are hungry, let ___ eat the snacks.
Find and fix the mistake:
Please let they finish their presentation.
Allow them to enter the building.
I will let he go to the party.
A: Can the students leave? B: Yes, ___.
Sort these: they, them, him, he, us, we
let / don't / them / forget
Score: /8
Practice Bank
13 exercisesThey look like they're having a good time. Just let ___ be.
The director will let them ___ the final scene tomorrow.
If our competitors want to use that strategy, let they fail on their own.
Choose the correct sentence:
Ordena estas palabras para formar una frase:
Traduce al inglés: 'Déjalos entrar.'
Empareja los sujetos con su forma de objeto correcta para el verbo 'let':
I know you disagree with their plan, but for now, just let it ___.
The contract is clear; you must let them to access the building.
Choose the correct sentence:
Ordena las palabras:
Traduce al inglés: 'Si ellos quieren irse, déjalos.'
Une las partes de la frase:
Score: /13
Preguntas frecuentes (8)
In modern standard English, no. It is always `let them`. You might see `let they` in very old poetry or the Bible, but using it today will be seen as a mistake.
`Let's` is simply a contraction of `let us`. We use it for suggestions. In formal writing, you can use `let us`, but in speaking, `let's` is much more common.
Yes, the verb `let` conjugates like any other verb. 'He `lets` them play' or 'She `let` them play' (past tense). The pronoun `them` stays the same.
`Let` is informal and uses a base verb (`let them go`). `Allow` is formal and uses 'to' (`allow them to go`).
It is a correct representation of how native speakers talk informally, but you should write `let them` in any formal or professional document.
Yes! You can say 'Let the water run' or 'Let the paint dry'. If you use a pronoun, it would be 'Let it dry'.
This is a common error even among some native speakers who are trying to sound formal. The correct form is still `let them who...` or more commonly `let those who...`.
In this context, yes. It can also be a noun in tennis (a 'let' serve), but that is a completely different meaning.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Dejar / Permitir
English pronouns always come before the second verb.
Laisser
French word order for pronouns changes in the negative.
Lassen
German word order can be different in subordinate clauses.
〜させる (Saseru)
Japanese grammar is suffix-based, not word-based.
دع (Da') / اجعل (Ij'al)
Pronouns are suffixes in Arabic, not separate words.
让 (ràng)
English requires a case change (they -> them); Chinese does not.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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