Decepcionar alguém (Verbo frasal: Let down)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'let down' when you fail to meet someone's expectations or break a promise, making them feel disappointed.
- Use it for people: 'I let my mom down' (max 20 words)
- If using a pronoun, put it in the middle: 'I let her down'
- It can also mean physically lowering something: 'Let down the rope'
Overview
let down é fundamental para qualquer brasileiro que deseja soar mais natural em inglês. Em português, frequentemente usamos o verbo 'decepcionar' ou a expressão 'deixar na mão'. Embora a tradução pareça direta, o uso do let down envolve nuances que não existem exatamente da mesma forma na nossa gramática.let down é um phrasal verb separável, o que adiciona uma camada de complexidade estrutural que não temos na língua portuguesa, onde não existem partículas separáveis como o 'down'.let down captura exatamente essa sensação de que alguém falhou com você. Diferente do português, onde o verbo 'decepcionar' é conjugado normalmente, no inglês o let down exige atenção à posição da partícula 'down'. Este guia vai te ajudar a entender essa mecânica e a evitar erros comuns de quem tem o português como língua materna.let down é um phrasal verb, ou seja, uma combinação de um verbo (let) com uma partícula (down). O significado não é a soma literal das partes, mas sim um sentido idiomático: causar decepção. Em português, a gente não tem essa categoria gramatical de 'verbo + partícula' que se comporta como uma unidade semântica.let down, estamos indicando que houve uma 'queda' na expectativa.let down é um phrasal verb *separável*. Isso significa que podemos colocar o objeto da ação no meio do verbo e da partícula. Por exemplo: 'You let me down'.let e o down funcionam como um 'sanduíche' onde o objeto fica no meio. Se você esquecer disso, sua frase vai soar truncada ou estranha para um nativo. É como se a gramática do inglês exigisse que o objeto ficasse 'abraçado' pelo phrasal verb para manter a fluidez da frase.let down, você deve seguir a regra de separabilidade. Se o objeto for um substantivo, você tem flexibilidade. Se for um pronome (me, you, him, her, it, us, them), a separação é obrigatória.Let the team down | Let them down |Let down the team | X (Incorreto) |- 'I didn't want to
let my parents down.' (Correto) - 'I didn't want to
let down my parents.' (Correto) - 'I didn't want to
let them down.' (Correto) - 'I didn't want to
let down them.' (Errado!)
let é um verbo irregular que não muda no passado: 'Yesterday, you let me down' (ontem você me decepcionou).let down em situações onde houve uma quebra de confiança ou expectativa.- 1Quebra de promessas: 'My friend
let me downwhen he didn't show up for our coffee.' (Meu amigo me deixou na mão quando não apareceu para o nosso café.) - 2Performance: 'The internet service
let me downduring my Zoom meeting.' (O serviço de internet me decepcionou/falhou comigo durante a reunião.) - 3Auto-decepção: 'I felt I
let myself downby not studying enough.' (Senti que me decepcionei por não ter estudado o suficiente.)
let down é mais forte do que apenas dizer 'I am disappointed'. Ele implica que o sujeito da frase teve a responsabilidade de te entregar algo e falhou. Se algo aconteceu sem que ninguém tivesse prometido nada, como o clima, prefira usar disappoint.- 1Colocar o pronome depois da partícula: O erro mais comum é dizer 'He
let down me'. Isso acontece porque, em português, a gente coloca o pronome depois do verbo ('decepcionou-me' ou 'me decepcionou'). O brasileiro tende a seguir a ordem direta, mas o inglês exige que o pronome fique entre olete odown. - 2Uso de 'let down' para eventos naturais: Dizer 'The rain
let me down'. O brasileiro pensa: 'A chuva me deixou na mão'. Mas, em inglês, olet downpressupõe um agente com intenção ou responsabilidade. A chuva não tem como te decepcionar propositalmente. Use 'I was disappointed by the rain'. - 3Confundir com 'let go': Alguns alunos misturam 'let down' com 'let go'. 'Let go' significa soltar ou deixar ir, enquanto 'let down' é sobre decepção. A interferência vem do fato de que ambos começam com 'let'.
Let someone down | Decepcionar alguém | Foco na falha de expectativa |Disappoint someone | Decepcionar alguém | Mais genérico, menos foco em falha de promessa |Let someone off | Perdoar/Liberar alguém | Falso amigo! Não tem relação com decepção |- 1Posso usar 'let down' para objetos? Sim, você pode dizer 'The app
let me down' se ele falhou com você. - 2Existe diferença entre 'let down' e 'disappoint'? Sim,
let downé mais informal e focado em uma falha específica de alguém em quem você confiava. - 3O 'let' muda no passado? Não, o passado de 'let' continua sendo 'let'. 'You
let me downyesterday' está correto.
Conjugation of 'Let down'
| Tense | Subject | Verb Form | Object | Particle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
I / You / We / They
|
let
|
him
|
down
|
|
Present Simple
|
He / She / It
|
lets
|
her
|
down
|
|
Past Simple
|
All subjects
|
let
|
us
|
down
|
|
Present Continuous
|
I
|
am letting
|
them
|
down
|
|
Present Perfect
|
He
|
has let
|
me
|
down
|
|
Future (Will)
|
They
|
will let
|
you
|
down
|
|
Gerund
|
N/A
|
letting
|
someone
|
down
|
Contractions with 'Let down'
| Full Form | Contraction | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
I will not let you down
|
I won't let you down
|
I promise I won't let you down.
|
|
He has let me down
|
He's let me down
|
He's let me down again.
|
|
They are letting us down
|
They're letting us down
|
They're letting us down right now.
|
Meanings
To fail to support or help someone as they had hoped or expected; to disappoint someone.
Disappoint
To fail to meet expectations or promises made to a person.
“The team let the fans down by losing the final.”
“Don't let me down this time!”
Physical Lowering
To move something to a lower position.
“Can you let the window down a bit?”
“They let down the rescue ladder from the helicopter.”
Lengthen Clothing
To make a garment longer by unfolding the hem.
“My daughter has grown so much I need to let down her skirts.”
“The tailor let down the trousers by two inches.”
Reference Table
| Tipo de Objeto | Estrutura 1 (Comum) | Estrutura 2 (Menos Comum/Pronome) | Exemplo |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Substantivo (Pessoa)
|
`let` + Noun + `down`
|
`let down` + Noun
|
Don't `let your friends down` / Don't `let down your friends`
|
|
Substantivo (Coisa)
|
`let` + Noun + `down`
|
`let down` + Noun
|
The system `let the users down` / The system `let down the users`
|
|
Pronome (Pessoa)
|
`let` + Pronoun + `down`
|
N/A (Incorreto)
|
He `let me down` (NOT `let down me`)
|
|
Pronome (Coisa)
|
`let` + Pronoun + `down`
|
N/A (Incorreto)
|
The car `let us down` (NOT `let down us`)
|
|
Reflexivo (Si mesmo)
|
`let oneself down`
|
N/A
|
I `let myself down`
|
|
Voz Passiva
|
N/A
|
`be let down by` + Noun/Pronoun
|
I `was let down by` the service
|
Espectro de formalidade
The corporation failed to fulfill its obligations to the stakeholders. (Business failure)
The company let the investors down. (Business failure)
They really let us down with that deal. (Business failure)
They totally flaked on us. (Business failure)
A Teia da Decepção com 'Let Down'
Quem/O quê você pode 'let down'?
- Amigos Your friends
- Família Your family
- Time Your team/colleagues
- Você mesmo Yourself
- Clientes Clients/Customers
- Tecnologia Gadgets/Apps
Por que você pode 'let down'?
- Promessa Quebrada Failure to keep a word
- Desempenho Ruim Subpar effort/results
- Falta de Confiabilidade Not working as expected
- Prazo Perdido Not completing on time
Sentimentos Resultantes
- Decepção Feeling of sadness
- Frustração Annoyance due to failure
- Traição Broken trust
- Arrependimento Feeling bad about one's actions
'Let Down' vs. Termos Semelhantes
Usando 'Let Down' Corretamente
Alguém/algo falha em atender a uma expectativa ou promessa?
O objeto do verbo é um pronome (me, you, him, her, it, us, them)?
Contextos Modernos para 'Let Down'
Vida Social
- • Mensagens com amigos (encontros perdidos)
- • Legendas do Instagram (influenciadores quebram confiança)
- • Conversas na cafeteria (conselhos não confiáveis de amigos)
Tecnologia e Trabalho
- • Aplicativos de entrega (pedidos errados)
- • Chamadas de Zoom (internet falhando)
- • Chat de voz em jogos (desempenho ruim do colega de equipe)
- • Projetos universitários (membro do grupo desiste)
Eu e Confiança
- • Metas pessoais (não atingir objetivos)
- • Promessas (não cumprir a palavra)
Exemplos por nível
Please don't let me down.
Por favor, no me falles.
I let my mom down.
Le fallé a mi mamá.
Did I let you down?
¿Te fallé?
He lets his friends down.
Él le falla a sus amigos.
She promised to call, but she let me down.
Prometió llamar, pero me falló.
We didn't want to let the teacher down.
No queríamos fallarle al profesor.
They let the rope down to the boat.
Bajaron la cuerda hacia el bote.
I'm sorry for letting you down yesterday.
Siento haberte fallado ayer.
I feel like I've let the whole team down by missing that goal.
Siento que le he fallado a todo el equipo al fallar ese gol.
The movie was a bit of a let-down after all the hype.
La película fue un poco decepcionante después de tanta publicidad.
You can rely on Jane; she never lets anyone down.
Puedes confiar en Jane; ella nunca le falla a nadie.
I had to let down the hem of my trousers because they were too short.
Tuve que bajar el dobladillo de mis pantalones porque eran demasiado cortos.
The government has been accused of letting down the elderly during the crisis.
El gobierno ha sido acusado de fallarle a los ancianos durante la crisis.
It’s a huge responsibility, and I’m terrified of letting everyone down.
Es una gran responsabilidad y me aterra fallarles a todos.
After a long week of work, she finally let her hair down at the party.
Después de una larga semana de trabajo, finalmente se soltó el pelo en la fiesta.
The engine let us down just as we reached the mountains.
El motor nos falló justo cuando llegamos a las montañas.
The systemic failure of the healthcare system has let down the most vulnerable.
El fallo sistémico del sistema de salud le ha fallado a los más vulnerables.
To let down one's guard in such a competitive environment is risky.
Bajar la guardia en un entorno tan competitivo es arriesgado.
He felt a profound sense of having let down his ancestors' legacy.
Sintió una profunda sensación de haber fallado al legado de sus antepasados.
The witness's testimony really let the prosecution down.
El testimonio del testigo realmente le falló a la fiscalía.
The intricate plot was masterfully built, only to be let down by a lackluster ending.
La intrincada trama fue construida magistralmente, solo para ser arruinada por un final mediocre.
In letting down the drawbridge, they signaled their intent to negotiate.
Al bajar el puente levadizo, señalaron su intención de negociar.
The sheer weight of expectation can often cause even the most stoic individuals to let themselves down.
El peso de la expectativa a menudo puede hacer que incluso los individuos más estoicos se fallen a sí mismos.
The fabric was so delicate that letting down the seams required surgical precision.
La tela era tan delicada que bajar las costuras requería precisión quirúrgica.
Fácil de confundir
Both use 'let' and a preposition, but 'let off' means to excuse someone from punishment.
Learners sometimes confuse the direction of the particle.
Both involve things not happening as planned.
Erros comuns
I let down him.
I let him down.
Don't let down me.
Don't let me down.
He leted me down.
He let me down.
I let down to my friend.
I let my friend down.
I am let down.
I feel let down / I was let down.
The movie let down.
The movie was a let-down.
She lets down her hair for the party.
She let her hair down at the party.
It was a big let down.
It was a big let-down.
I will let down the window.
I will let the window down.
He has let down us.
He has let us down.
The results let down the expectations.
The results fell short of expectations / The results were a let-down.
Padrões de frases
I'm sorry I let ___ down.
Don't let ___ down, okay?
The ___ was a total let-down.
I felt ___ after being let down by ___.
Real World Usage
So sorry I can't make it tonight! Hope I didn't let u down too much.
I am very dedicated to my work; I never let my team down.
The new iPhone battery life really let me down.
The defense really let the goalkeeper down on that play.
Can you let down these trousers? They're a bit short.
I don't want to let my kids down by missing their school play.
Pronomes no Meio
He let me down(Ele me decepcionou).
Não Apenas 'Disappoint'
Use para Confiança e Confiabilidade
My old car always lets me down.
Impacto Social Sutil
Smart Tips
Stop! Remember the 'Pronoun Sandwich'. Put the person in the middle.
Use the noun 'let-down' with 'was a'.
Use the passive voice 'to be let down'. It focuses on the feeling of the person.
Use 'let down' to mean lengthening them.
Pronúncia
Linking
In 'let down', the 't' in 'let' is often a 'stop t' or blends into the 'd' of 'down'. It sounds like /le'down/.
Pronoun Stress
When a pronoun is in the middle, the stress is usually on 'down'.
Apologetic
I'm so sorry I let you ↘down.
Conveys sincere regret.
Memorize
Mnemônico
When you let someone down, their mood goes down like an elevator.
Associação visual
Imagine a person standing on a platform. You pull a lever labeled 'LET', and the platform drops 'DOWN'. The person looks sad as they sink.
Rhyme
If you want to be a friend until the end, don't let them down or make them frown.
Story
Leo promised to bring the cake to the party. He forgot it at home. When he arrived empty-handed, he saw his friends' hungry faces. He realized he had let them down, so he ran back to get it.
Word Web
Desafio
Write three sentences about a time a movie, a friend, or a piece of technology let you down. Use a pronoun in at least one sentence.
Notas culturais
In the UK, 'letting the side down' is a common idiom meaning to behave in a way that embarrasses your group or family.
Reliability is highly valued. Saying 'I won't let you down' is a powerful way to build trust with a manager.
Fans often use 'let down' to describe their feelings about sequels or series finales.
The phrase originates from the literal act of lowering something, such as a sail on a ship or a drawbridge.
Iniciadores de conversa
Has a movie ever really let you down after you saw a great trailer?
Who is one person in your life who never lets you down?
How do you feel when you let yourself down?
If a friend lets you down, do you give them a second chance?
Temas para diário
Erros comuns
Test Yourself
My old car always ___ when I need it most.
Find and fix the mistake:
She felt like she had let down herself.
Translate into English: 'El equipo me falló en el último partido.'
Answer starts with: ["T...
Score: /3
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesI promised to help her, so I can't let ___ down.
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Correct this: 'The party was a big let down.'
Rewrite using 'let down': 'He disappointed his parents.'
Match the meaning to the sentence.
A: Are you coming to the meeting? B: Yes, I'll be there. I won't ___.
Is 'let down' separable or inseparable?
You can say 'I let down them.'
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesI don't want to ___ my friends by canceling plans at the last minute.
The software always lets down us when we need it most.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Nunca te decepcionaré.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the beginnings with the correct endings:
The company couldn't deliver the product on time and thus ___ its customers.
My favourite team let down their fans by losing the final.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate into English: 'Ella no quiere decepcionar a sus padres.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the situations with the correct phrase:
Score: /12
Perguntas frequentes (8)
No, you must say `let me down`. Pronouns always go in the middle of separable phrasal verbs like this one.
It is neutral to informal. In a very formal business report, you might use `fail to meet expectations`, but in an email to a colleague, `let down` is perfect.
The past tense is also `let down`. For example: 'Yesterday, he let me down.'
It is an idiom meaning to relax and enjoy yourself, usually after working hard.
Yes, `a let-down` (noun) refers to a disappointing situation or person. Example: 'The movie was a total let-down.'
Yes, but usually in a literal sense, like `let down the blinds` or `let down a rope`.
`Let off` means to not punish someone. `Let down` means to disappoint someone.
Yes! 'I was let down by my friends' is a very common and natural way to speak.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Decepcionar / Dejar plantado
English uses a phrasal verb with a mandatory object placement for pronouns.
Décevoir / Laisser tomber
French does not have separable phrasal verbs.
Enttäuschen / Im Stich lassen
German word order in subordinate clauses is different from English.
Gakkari saseru (がっかりさせる)
Japanese lacks the 'verb + preposition' structure entirely.
Khayaba amala (خيب أمل)
Arabic is more formal and doesn't use the 'down' metaphor.
Ràng... shīwàng (让...失望)
The word 'disappointed' in Chinese is an adjective/verb, not a particle like 'down'.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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