The word dejar is quite useful in Spanish, but for English learners, it’s a bit more difficult, because there are various translations for it. Let’s look at two of them: to leave and to let.

So, what’s the difference between these verbs? How do we tell them apart?

Leave has two main meanings: 1) to exit, and 2) to not change or disturb:

1. 1.       Elvis has left the building.
2. 2.       I left my car on the street.
   Do we have any pizza left?
   Leave the cat where he is.

Let is more limited.  It’s synonymous with “allow” or “permit”.

Notice the structure for ‘let’ : to let someone do something- we do not conjugate the second verb.

1. 1.       I let the children have a cookie.

Let me know when Bill gets here.

So, basically, “leave” is a rather passive verb, expressing when you don’t do something, whereas “let” is more about giving (tacit) permission.

See the difference between  ‘to leave’ and ‘to go out.’ here

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