A1 Past Tense 17 min read Easy

Letting Things Happen: The Verb 'Laisser' with Infinitives

When followed by an infinitive in the past tense, laissé never changes its ending for agreement.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'laisser' followed by an infinitive to express allowing or letting someone perform an action.

  • Conjugate 'laisser' to match the subject: 'Je laisse' (I let).
  • Follow it immediately with the infinitive verb: 'Je laisse manger' (I let eat).
  • Place negative 'ne...pas' around 'laisser': 'Je ne laisse pas manger'.
Subject + Laisser (conjugated) + Infinitive Verb

Overview

Mastering French grammar often involves understanding subtle but important distinctions, especially when it comes to verb conjugations and agreements. The verb laisser (to let, to allow, to leave) presents one such crucial case, particularly when it is followed by another verb in the infinitive form. For learners at the A1 CEFR level, grasping this rule simplifies sentence construction in the past tense and prevents common errors in agreement.

When laisser is used in a compound tense, such as the passé composé, and is immediately followed by an infinitive, its past participle laissé remains invariable. This means it does not change its ending to agree in gender or number with any noun or pronoun in the sentence. This consistency makes laissé a predictable element in these constructions, a significant advantage in early French learning.

For example, whether you say J'ai laissé mon ami partir (I let my friend leave) or J'ai laissé mes amis partir (I let my friends leave), the form laissé remains identical, providing a clear and reliable pattern.

This specific grammatical behavior is not arbitrary; it stems from the linguistic function laisser takes on in this context. It acts almost like a modal verb, introducing the action of the infinitive rather than directly taking a grammatical object that would trigger agreement. Understanding this fundamental principle is key to confidently using laisser + infinitive without agreement errors from the very beginning of your French journey.

Conjugation Table

Subject Pronoun Auxiliary Verb avoir Past Participle laissé Infinitive Example English Translation
:-------------- :--------------------- :----------------------- :----------------- :------------------------------
Je ai laissé parler I let speak (e.g., J'ai laissé mon frère parler. – I let my brother speak.)
Tu as laissé entrer You let enter (e.g., Tu as laissé la porte entrer. – You let the door enter.)
Il/Elle/On a laissé dormir He/She/One let sleep (e.g., Il a laissé le bébé dormir. – He let the baby sleep.)
Nous avons laissé attendre We let wait (e.g., Nous avons laissé nos amis attendre. – We let our friends wait.)
Vous avez laissé choisir You (formal/plural) let choose (e.g., Vous avez laissé les étudiants choisir. – You let the students choose.)
Ils/Elles ont laissé partir They let leave (e.g., Elles ont laissé les enfants partir. – They let the children leave.)

How This Grammar Works

At its core, the construction laisser + infinitive functions to express that an action is permitted, allowed to occur, or not prevented. The semantic role of laisser here is to introduce the subsequent infinitive, which describes the action that is taking place. In a sense, laisser becomes a kind of semi-auxiliary verb, directing the meaning of the main action without fully integrating its object for agreement purposes.
This is a crucial linguistic detail that distinguishes it from laisser used as a transitive verb meaning to leave or to abandon.
The invariability of laissé in this structure can be understood by considering the nature of the direct object. When laisser is followed by an infinitive, the actual object of laisser is not a person or thing, but rather the action itself denoted by the infinitive. For instance, in J'ai laissé les enfants jouer, you are not letting the children; you are letting the action of playing happen.
Since jouer (to play) is an infinitive and infinitives do not have grammatical gender or number, laissé has no noun to agree with, thus remaining in its base past participle form.
This grammatical consistency was officially reinforced by the 1990 orthographic recommendations in France. While older grammar texts might show examples of laissé agreeing in certain contexts, the modern and universally accepted rule, particularly emphasized for learners, is that laissé remains invariable when immediately followed by an infinitive. This simplification removes ambiguity and makes the rule much easier for A1 learners to apply consistently, ensuring that your French sounds natural and correct from the start.
Consider the example Elle les a laissé entrer. (She let them in.) Here, les refers to people (plural), but laissé does not change, because the actual action being let is entrer (to enter), not them directly.

Formation Pattern

1
Forming sentences with laisser followed by an infinitive in the passé composé follows a straightforward and consistent pattern. This structure is one of the most reliable in French grammar for its lack of agreement variations, making it ideal for beginners. You will always combine a subject, the conjugated auxiliary verb avoir, the invariable past participle laissé, and then the action verb in its infinitive form.
2
Here is the fundamental breakdown of this pattern, which you can apply to countless situations:
3
| Element | Description | Example |
4
| :------------------ | :------------------------------------------------------ | :--------------------------- |
5
| Subject | The person or thing performing the action of 'letting'. | Je (I), Tu (You), Nous (We) |
6
| Auxiliary Verb | The verb avoir, conjugated in the present tense. | ai, as, a, avons, avez, ont |
7
| Past Participle | The invariable form: laissé. | laissé |
8
| Infinitive | The un-conjugated action verb (e.g., -er, -ir, -re endings). | regarder, finir, prendre |
9
Let's put this into practice with a couple of clear examples, showing how each component fits together:
10
J'ai laissé mon chat dormir. (I let my cat sleep.)
11
Je (Subject) + ai (avoir conjugated) + laissé (invariable past participle) + dormir (infinitive).
12
Nous avons laissé les enfants jouer dehors. (We let the children play outside.)
13
Nous (Subject) + avons (avoir conjugated) + laissé (invariable past participle) + jouer (infinitive).
14
This consistent structure ensures that once you understand the pattern, you can reliably form grammatically correct sentences without worrying about complex agreement rules, a common hurdle for A1 learners.

When To Use It

Using laisser + infinitive is essential for expressing various shades of permission, inaction, or allowing something to unfold. This construction is highly versatile and frequently encountered in daily French conversation. For an A1 learner, recognizing these contexts will significantly expand your communicative abilities.
  1. 1Granting Permission: This is the most common use, indicating that you allowed someone to perform an action. You give consent or approval for an activity.
  • Mes parents m'ont laissé sortir tard hier soir. (My parents let me go out late last night.)
  • Elle a laissé ses amis utiliser sa voiture. (She let her friends use her car.)
  1. 1Not Preventing an Action (Inaction): When an event or action occurs because you did not intervene or stop it. This can sometimes imply a lack of control or negligence.
  • J'ai laissé la porte ouverte par accident. (I left the door open by accident.) – Note that ouverte here agrees with la porte because there is no infinitive modifying laisser. If it were J'ai laissé la porte s'ouvrir, laissé would be invariable. This highlights the importance of the infinitive. For an A1 learner, focus on the laisser + infinitive part.
  • Tu as laissé l'eau couler pendant une heure ! (You let the water run for an hour!)
  1. 1Allowing Something to Happen Naturally: To describe a situation where you permit something to develop without interference, letting nature take its course or an event to run its course.
  • Nous avons laissé la situation évoluer avant d'intervenir. (We let the situation evolve before intervening.)
  • Il a laissé le temps faire les choses. (He let time take its course / let things happen over time.)
  1. 1Giving Up Control / Relinquishing: In some contexts, it can convey the idea of giving up an effort or surrendering to circumstances.
  • Elle a laissé son rêve s'envoler. (She let her dream fly away/fade away.)
This grammatical pattern is particularly useful for recounting past events where your actions (or inactions) influenced others' freedom or the flow of events. It allows you to concisely state who permitted what, without needing to learn complex agreement rules for laissé itself. Remember, the presence of the infinitive is your key indicator that laissé remains laissé.

Common Mistakes

Even though the laisser + infinitive construction simplifies past participle agreement, learners, especially at the A1 level, often make a few predictable mistakes. Understanding these pitfalls and why they occur is essential for avoiding them and building a solid grammatical foundation.
  1. 1Trying to make 'laissé' agree: This is by far the most common error. Because you learn early on that past participles formed with avoir agree with a preceding direct object, you might instinctively try to apply this to laissé. However, in the laisser + infinitive structure, laissé never agrees.
  • Incorrect: J'ai laissées les clés tomber. (Trying to agree laissées with les clés.)
  • Correct: J'ai laissé les clés tomber. (The laissé remains invariable.)
  • Incorrect: Elle les a laissés regarder. (Trying to agree laissés with les.)
  • Correct: Elle les a laissé regarder. (Even with the pronoun les preceding, laissé does not change.)
The error stems from misunderstanding that the direct object of laisser is the action of the infinitive, not the noun that performs the infinitive's action.
  1. 1Conjugating the second verb: The rule explicitly states laisser + infinitive. Sometimes, learners incorrectly conjugate the second verb, treating it as if it were a main verb.
  • Incorrect: Il a laissé les enfants mangent. (Conjugating manger to mangent.)
  • Correct: Il a laissé les enfants manger. (The second verb must be in its infinitive form.)
The infinitive maintains its base form, signifying the action without specifying its actor's tense or mood in relation to laisser.
  1. 1Using 'être' as the auxiliary verb: Laisser is a verb that inherently expresses an action (allowing, leaving). Therefore, in compound tenses like the passé composé, it always uses avoir as its auxiliary verb, never être.
  • Incorrect: Je suis laissé partir. (Using être with laisser.)
  • Correct: J'ai laissé partir. (Always use avoir.)
This mistake often arises from confusion with verbs of movement or reflexive verbs that use être.
  1. 1Confusing with reflexive 'se laisser': While beyond strict A1, a brief mention helps. The reflexive verb se laisser (to let oneself) does agree, but it's a different grammatical construction. For example, Elle s'est laissée tomber. (She let herself fall.) Here, laissée agrees with elle. However, this is distinct from the laisser + infinitive rule. At A1, focus solely on the invariable laissé with an infinitive, which doesn't use se.
By being aware of these common pitfalls and consistently applying the invariability rule for laissé + infinitive, you will build confidence and accuracy in your French sentences.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

To truly master laisser + infinitive, it is critical to distinguish it from other seemingly similar grammatical patterns where agreement rules differ. Misunderstanding these distinctions is a common source of error for learners.
  1. 1'Laisser' without an Infinitive (Transitive Use):
When laisser is used as a transitive verb meaning to leave, to abandon, or to forget, and it is not immediately followed by an infinitive, its past participle laissé follows the standard rules of past participle agreement with avoir. This means laissé will agree in gender and number with a direct object if that direct object precedes the verb.
  • J'ai laissé mon livre sur la table. (I left my book on the table.) Here, mon livre is the direct object, but it comes after ai laissé, so laissé remains laissé (no agreement).
  • La voiture que j'ai laissée au garage. (The car that I left at the garage.) In this case, que (which refers to la voiture, feminine singular) is the direct object and it precedes ai laissée. Therefore, laissée agrees with la voiture and takes an -e.
  • Les photos que j'ai laissées chez toi. (The photos that I left at your place.) Here, que (referring to les photos, feminine plural) precedes the verb, so laissées agrees and takes -es.
Key Distinction: The presence of an infinitive is the "shield" that protects laissé from agreement. Without that infinitive, laissé behaves like any other past participle conjugated with avoir, requiring agreement with a preceding direct object.
  1. 1'Faire' + Infinitive:
This construction is a perfect parallel to laisser + infinitive and provides a helpful analogy. When faire (to make, to cause, to have something done) is followed by an infinitive, its past participle fait also remains invariable, just like laissé.
  • J'ai fait réparer ma voiture. (I had my car repaired.) fait is invariable.
  • Elle les a fait rire. (She made them laugh.) Even with the preceding direct object les, fait remains fait.
This similarity reinforces the idea that some French verbs act as semi-auxiliaries when introducing an infinitive, and their past participles consequently do not agree. Recognizing this pattern in both laisser and faire will help you consolidate your understanding of this important grammatical concept.

Real Conversations

Understanding how laisser + infinitive is used in authentic French conversations is crucial for moving beyond textbook examples. This construction appears frequently in various contexts, from casual chats to more formal discussions. Here are some examples of its use in everyday scenarios, helping you hear and produce natural French.

- Expressing permission or tolerance:

- Maman, tu m'as laissé regarder la télé très tard hier soir ! (Mom, you let me watch TV very late last night!)

- Le professeur nous a laissé plus de temps pour finir l'examen. (The teacher gave us more time to finish the exam.)

- Tu as laissé ton enfant jouer avec ça ? C'est dangereux ! (You let your child play with that? It's dangerous!)

- Describing inaction or allowing things to happen:

- Oh là là, j'ai laissé mon café refroidir sur la table. (Oh dear, I let my coffee get cold on the table.)

- Désolé, j'ai laissé la porte du frigo ouverte. (Sorry, I left the fridge door open.)

- Ils ont laissé leur relation se détériorer. (They let their relationship deteriorate.) – Note the use of the reflexive infinitive se détériorer.

- In more informal, even texting contexts:

- J'tai laissé un message vocal. (I left you a voicemail.) – Casual contracted form for Je t'ai laissé... Here, laissé refers to the message itself, not an infinitive, so it follows general agreement rules. This is a subtle contrast. For laisser + infinitive, it would be J't'ai laissé partir (I let you go), where laissé is invariable. The context is key.

- Elle m'a laissé croire que... (She let me believe that...)

- Common expressions:

- Laisser tomber (to let fall, to drop, to give up): J'ai laissé tomber mon téléphone. (I dropped my phone.)

- Laisser faire (to let happen, to allow): Il faut laisser faire la nature. (We must let nature take its course.)

These examples demonstrate the versatility of laisser + infinitive. By observing these patterns in French media, conversations, and personal interactions, you will naturally internalize its usage and develop a more authentic command of the language. Pay close attention to the context to determine if laisser is being followed by an infinitive or acting as a simple transitive verb, as this will dictate the agreement of its past participle.

Progressive Practice

1

To truly integrate the laisser + infinitive rule into your French, consistent and structured practice is essential. Focusing on transformation and active recall will help solidify this concept and make its application almost automatic. These exercises are designed for A1 learners to build confidence systematically.

2

Sentence Transformation (Present to Passé Composé):

Start with simple sentences in the present tense using laisser + infinitive, then transform them into the passé composé. This helps you focus on the auxiliary verb avoir and the invariable laissé.

- Example 1: Je laisse mon petit frère regarder des dessins animés. (I let my little brother watch cartoons.)

- Transformation: J'ai laissé mon petit frère regarder des dessins animés.

- Example 2: Nous laissons les oiseaux chanter dans le jardin. (We let the birds sing in the garden.)

- Transformation: Nous avons laissé les oiseaux chanter dans le jardin.

- Example 3: Tu laisses la porte ouverte. (You leave the door open.) – Careful! No infinitive here. This is a trick question to reinforce the rule! The past tense would be Tu as laissé la porte ouverte. where laissé agrees only if la porte was placed before the verb. This emphasizes the need for an infinitive.

3

Gap-Fill Exercises:

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of laisser in the passé composé or the appropriate infinitive. This tests your recall of both components.

- Hier, elle ____ (laisser) ses amis ____ (venir) à la fête. (Answer: a laissé, venir)

- Vous ____ (laisser) le pain ____ (brûler) dans le four. (Answer: avez laissé, brûler)

- Les professeurs ____ (laisser) les élèves ____ (sortir) plus tôt. (Answer: ont laissé, sortir)

4

Constructing Your Own Sentences:

Think about recent actions where you allowed something or did not prevent it. Try to form two to three sentences daily using the laisser + infinitive pattern.

- What did you let happen yesterday? (e.g., J'ai laissé la pluie tomber., J'ai laissé mes plantes sécher.) What did you let your friend do? (e.g., J'ai laissé mon ami utiliser mon ordinateur.)

5

Observation and Imitation:

Actively listen for this structure in French songs, simple podcasts, or short videos. When you hear it, try to repeat the sentence or construct a similar one using the same pattern. This helps train your ear and reinforces natural sentence rhythm. For example, listening to French children's songs or basic news reports often provides clear, simple instances of this usage.

Through consistent application of these practice methods, the invariable nature of laissé before an infinitive will become second nature, enabling you to use this common and important French construction with confidence and accuracy.

Quick FAQ

This section addresses some common questions you might have about laisser + infinitive, reinforcing the core rules and clarifying potential areas of confusion for A1 learners.
Q1: Does laissé ever agree in gender or number when it's followed by an infinitive?
A1: No, in modern standard French, the past participle laissé never agrees in gender or number when it is immediately followed by an infinitive. It remains laissé in all contexts within this specific construction. This rule is a simplification designed to make French grammar more consistent and easier to learn.
Q2: Which auxiliary verb does laisser use in compound tenses with an infinitive? Avoir or être?
A2: Laisser + infinitive always uses the auxiliary verb avoir in compound tenses like the passé composé. For example, J'ai laissé, Tu as laissé, Nous avons laissé, and so on. It never uses être in this construction.
Q3: What if the subject of the sentence is feminine or plural? Does that change laissé?
A3: No, the gender or number of the subject (e.g., elle, elles, nous) has no effect on the form of laissé when it's followed by an infinitive. It will still be laissé. For example, Elle a laissé les enfants partir. (She let the children leave.) or Elles ont laissé leurs chiens courir. (They let their dogs run.)
Q4: Is there a difference in meaning between laisser + infinitive and just laisser alone?
A4: Yes, there is a significant difference. Laisser + infinitive means to let or to allow someone/something to perform an action. Laisser alone, as a transitive verb, usually means to leave (e.g., J'ai laissé mon sac. – I left my bag.).
Crucially, laissé can agree with a preceding direct object when used without an infinitive (La voiture que j'ai laissée.), but it never agrees when an infinitive follows.
Q5: Is the construction faire + infinitive similar to laisser + infinitive?
A5: Yes, they are very similar in their grammatical behavior regarding agreement. When faire (to make, to cause) is followed by an infinitive, its past participle fait also remains invariable, just like laissé. This parallelism (J'ai fait réparer ma voiture. vs.
J'ai laissé tomber mon livre.) can help reinforce your understanding of this special category of verbs in French.

Conjugation of 'Laisser' (Present Tense)

Pronoun Conjugation Example
Je
laisse
Je laisse manger
Tu
laisses
Tu laisses sortir
Il/Elle
laisse
Il laisse dormir
Nous
laissons
Nous laissons entrer
Vous
laissez
Vous laissez partir
Ils/Elles
laissent
Ils laissent jouer

Meanings

The verb 'laisser' is used to express permission, allowing something to happen, or leaving something in a specific state.

1

Permission

Giving someone permission to do something.

“Elle laisse son chien sortir.”

“Nous laissons les enfants regarder la télé.”

2

Leaving something behind

To leave an object or person in a state or place.

“Je laisse mes clés sur la table.”

“Il laisse son sac à la gare.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Letting Things Happen: The Verb 'Laisser' with Infinitives
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Laisser + Infinitive
Je laisse dormir
Negative
Ne + Laisser + Pas + Infinitive
Je ne laisse pas dormir
Question
Laisses-tu + Infinitive ?
Laisses-tu dormir ?
Imperative
Laisse + Infinitive !
Laisse dormir !
Pronoun (Obj)
Laisser + Pronoun + Infinitive
Je le laisse manger
Reflexive
Se laisser + Infinitive
Il se laisse aller

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Veuillez me laisser faire.

Veuillez me laisser faire. (Helping someone)

Neutral
Laissez-moi faire.

Laissez-moi faire. (Helping someone)

Informal
Laisse-moi faire.

Laisse-moi faire. (Helping someone)

Slang
Laisse-moi gérer.

Laisse-moi gérer. (Helping someone)

Uses of Laisser

Laisser

Permission

  • Laisser sortir Let out

Leaving

  • Laisser ici Leave here

Idioms

  • Laisser tomber Drop it
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Examples by Level

1

Je laisse mon chat dormir.

I let my cat sleep.

2

Tu laisses les enfants jouer.

You let the children play.

3

Il laisse la porte ouverte.

He leaves the door open.

4

Nous laissons le chien sortir.

We let the dog go out.

1

Ne me laisse pas seul ici.

Don't leave me alone here.

2

Est-ce que tu laisses ton ami entrer ?

Do you let your friend enter?

3

Elle ne laisse pas son fils sortir le soir.

She doesn't let her son go out at night.

4

Laissez-moi réfléchir une minute.

Let me think for a minute.

1

Je le laisse faire ce qu'il veut.

I let him do what he wants.

2

Ils ont laissé les invités entrer sans payer.

They let the guests enter without paying.

3

Il faut laisser les choses se calmer.

We must let things calm down.

4

Elle s'est laissé convaincre par son mari.

She let herself be convinced by her husband.

1

Ne te laisse pas abattre par cette nouvelle.

Don't let yourself be discouraged by this news.

2

Il a laissé entendre qu'il allait partir.

He hinted (let it be understood) that he was going to leave.

3

Laissez-les donc finir leur travail.

Just let them finish their work.

4

Je ne peux pas laisser passer une telle erreur.

I cannot let such a mistake slide.

1

Il a laissé libre cours à son imagination.

He gave free rein to his imagination.

2

Elle s'est laissé aller à la mélancolie.

She gave way to melancholy.

3

Laissez-moi vous dire que c'est inacceptable.

Let me tell you that this is unacceptable.

4

Il a laissé planer le doute sur ses intentions.

He left doubt hanging over his intentions.

1

Il se laisse vivre, sans aucun souci du lendemain.

He just drifts through life, without a care for tomorrow.

2

Laissez dire les gens, ils ne savent rien.

Let people talk, they know nothing.

3

Elle a laissé à ses héritiers une fortune immense.

She left her heirs an immense fortune.

4

Ne laissez rien au hasard dans ce projet.

Leave nothing to chance in this project.

Easily Confused

Letting Things Happen: The Verb 'Laisser' with Infinitives vs Laisser vs. Quitter

Both mean 'to leave', but 'laisser' is for objects/people behind, 'quitter' is for places.

Letting Things Happen: The Verb 'Laisser' with Infinitives vs Laisser vs. Permettre

Both mean 'to allow', but 'permettre' is formal and needs 'de'.

Letting Things Happen: The Verb 'Laisser' with Infinitives vs Laisser vs. Faire

Both are causative, but 'faire' means 'to make/have someone do', 'laisser' means 'to let'.

Common Mistakes

✗

Je laisse mange

✓

Je laisse manger

The second verb must be in the infinitive.
✗

Je laisse pas manger

✓

Je ne laisse pas manger

Missing the 'ne' in formal writing.
✗

Je laisse le chien sortir dehors

✓

Je laisse le chien sortir

Redundant 'dehors' with 'sortir'.
✗

Il laisse moi manger

✓

Il me laisse manger

Pronoun must go before the verb.
✗

Laisse-moi à faire

✓

Laisse-moi faire

No preposition needed.
✗

Il laisse partir elle

✓

Il la laisse partir

Pronoun placement.
✗

Je laisse la porte

✓

Je laisse la porte ouverte

Laisser needs a state/adjective.
✗

Il m'a laissé de partir

✓

Il m'a laissé partir

No 'de' with laisser.
✗

Je laisse le faire

✓

Je le laisse faire

Pronoun placement.
✗

Il s'est laissé tomber

✓

Il s'est laissé aller

Wrong idiom.
✗

Laisser à désirer

✓

Laisser à désirer

This is correct, but often misused in context.
✗

Il a laissé de côté le projet

✓

Il a laissé le projet de côté

Word order.
✗

Il laisse à penser que

✓

Cela laisse à penser que

Subject usage.

Sentence Patterns

Je laisse ___ ___.

Ne ___ pas ___ ___.

Il faut ___ ___ ___.

___-___ ___ !

Real World Usage

Texting very common

Laisse tomber, c'est pas grave.

Job Interviews common

Je vous laisse le soin de décider.

Travel common

Laissez vos bagages ici.

Food Delivery Apps occasional

Laissez la commande devant la porte.

Social Media common

Laissez un commentaire !

Parenting constant

Je laisse mon fils jouer dehors.

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💡

Infinitive Rule

The second verb is always in the infinitive. Don't conjugate it!
⚠️

Laisser vs Quitter

Don't use 'laisser' for leaving a place; use 'quitter' instead.
🎯

Pronoun Placement

Pronouns go before the infinitive, not the conjugated verb.
💬

Polite Requests

Use 'Laissez-moi' to politely ask for space or time.

Smart Tips

Always use 'Laisse-moi' followed by the infinitive.

Laisse-moi à faire. → Laisse-moi faire.

Use 'laisser' + object.

Je quitte mon sac ici. → Je laisse mon sac ici.

Place the pronoun before the infinitive.

Je laisse le faire. → Je le laisse faire.

Use the 'vous' form: 'Laissez-moi'.

Laisse-moi passer. → Laissez-moi passer.

Pronunciation

le-zay-lay

Liaison

In 'Laissez-les', the 'z' sound is pronounced.

less

Silent letters

The 'ent' in 'laissent' is silent.

Imperative

Laisse-moi ! ↘

Firm command

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Laisser is like a 'Lax' (relaxed) gatekeeper; he lets things pass through.

Visual Association

Imagine a cat sitting by an open door. The cat is 'laisser' (letting) the mouse go outside.

Rhyme

Pour laisser faire, ne change rien au verbe, c'est clair.

Story

Sophie wants to go out. Her mom says 'Je te laisse sortir'. Sophie runs to the door. She leaves her bag on the chair. She is happy.

Word Web

PermettreAutoriserQuitterLaisser tomberLaisser passerLaisser faire

Challenge

Write 5 sentences using 'Je laisse' + an action you allow someone to do today.

Cultural Notes

Using 'laisser' is polite when asking for space.

Often used in the same way, but with a slightly more relaxed tone.

Used in daily interactions to mean 'let it be'.

From Latin 'laxare', meaning to loosen or relax.

Conversation Starters

“

Tu laisses tes enfants regarder la télé ?

“

Est-ce que tu laisses ton chien dormir sur le lit ?

“

Laissez-vous vos collègues travailler tranquillement ?

“

Peut-on laisser passer cette opportunité ?

Journal Prompts

Write about what you let your friends do.
Describe a time you didn't let someone do something.
Discuss the importance of letting others work independently.
Reflect on a decision where you 'let things happen'.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

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Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the correct form of laisser.

Je ___ mon frère jouer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: laisse
Je takes -e.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je laisse manger le chat.
Infinitive is required.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Il me laisse de partir.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il me laisse partir.
No preposition with laisser.
Make it negative. Sentence Transformation

Je laisse sortir le chien.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je ne laisse pas sortir le chien.
Ne...pas surrounds the conjugated verb.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Puis-je entrer ? B: Oui, ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: laissez-moi entrer
Polite form.
Reorder the words. Sentence Building

laisse / le / faire / je

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je le laisse faire.
Pronoun before infinitive.
Sort by meaning. Grammar Sorting

Laisser vs Quitter.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Laisser = object
Laisser is for objects.
Match the phrase. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Drop it
Idiomatic meaning.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the correct form of laisser.

Je ___ mon frère jouer.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: laisse
Je takes -e.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je laisse manger le chat.
Infinitive is required.
Fix the error. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Il me laisse de partir.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il me laisse partir.
No preposition with laisser.
Make it negative. Sentence Transformation

Je laisse sortir le chien.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je ne laisse pas sortir le chien.
Ne...pas surrounds the conjugated verb.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Puis-je entrer ? B: Oui, ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: laissez-moi entrer
Polite form.
Reorder the words. Sentence Building

laisse / le / faire / je

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Je le laisse faire.
Pronoun before infinitive.
Sort by meaning. Grammar Sorting

Laisser vs Quitter.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Laisser = object
Laisser is for objects.
Match the phrase. Match Pairs

Laisser tomber

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Drop it
Idiomatic meaning.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Translate into French: Translation

I let the children play.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: J'ai laissé jouer les enfants.
Put the words in the correct order: Sentence Reorder

laissé / tu / tomber / as / quoi / ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Tu as laissé tomber quoi ?
Complete the sentence: Fill in the Blank

Ma sœur m'a ____ manger son gâteau.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: laissé
Which sentence is correct? Multiple Choice

Choose the correct past tense usage:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ils ont laissé passer le bus.
Match the French to the English: Match Pairs

Match the following:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Matches correctly.
Fix the agreement error: Error Correction

Elles les ont laissées sortir.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Elles les ont laissé sortir.
Fill the gap: Fill in the Blank

Vous ____ laissé conduire votre ami ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: avez
Translate 'We let her speak.' Translation

We let her speak.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nous l'avons laissé parler.
Reorder the sentence: Sentence Reorder

les / a / courir / laissé / Il

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Il les a laissé courir.
Which one describes dropping something? Multiple Choice

Select the correct phrase:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: J'ai laissé tomber.

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

No, never. Unlike 'permettre de', 'laisser' is followed directly by the infinitive.

No, use 'quitter' for places. 'Laisser' is for objects or people.

They go before the infinitive verb, e.g., 'Je le laisse faire'.

It is neutral. It works in almost all situations.

Place 'ne' and 'pas' around the conjugated 'laisser'.

'Laisser' means to let, 'faire' means to make/have someone do.

Yes, extremely common in daily conversation.

Yes, e.g., 'se laisser aller'.

Scaffolded Practice

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Mastery Progress

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

Dejar + infinitive

The conjugation patterns are different, but the syntax is identical.

German high

Lassen + infinitive

German word order in complex sentences can be more rigid.

Japanese low

~te ageru / ~saseru

French uses a separate verb, while Japanese uses verb morphology.

Arabic moderate

Tarak (ترك)

Arabic grammar is root-based and highly inflected.

Chinese high

Rang (让)

Chinese has no verb conjugation, making it much simpler syntactically.

English moderate

Let + object + infinitive

English word order is strictly SVO with mandatory objects.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
The 'Unchangeable' Fait (Faire + Infinitive)
Next
No Agreement: When the Object Belongs to the Infinitive (Pas d'accord : COD objet de l'infinitif)

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