"Let" is to permit casually or personally; "allow" is to permit formally or with authority.
To give permission or not prevent something. Informal, personal, direct. Always followed by bare infinitive (no "to").
Let me help you with those bags. They look heavy.
Dejame ayudarte con esas bolsas. Se ven pesadas.
Her parents do not let her go out after 10pm.
Sus padres no la dejan salir despues de las 10pm.
Let the dough rest for 30 minutes before baking.
Deja reposar la masa 30 minutos antes de hornear.
To give permission, especially in official, rule-based, or formal contexts.
Photography is not allowed inside the museum.
No se permite fotografiar dentro del museo.
The new law allows citizens to vote at age 16.
La nueva ley permite a los ciudadanos votar a los 16 anos.
The manager allowed the team to leave early on Friday.
El gerente permitio al equipo salir temprano el viernes.
Common mistake
The grammar trap: after "let" the infinitive does NOT take "to". "Let me to go" is wrong — correct is "let me go". After "allow" the "to" IS required: "allow me to go". This is one of the most frequent errors. The reverse: "allow go" without "to" is also wrong.
Trick to remember it
Grammar rule: LET + object + bare infinitive (no to). ALLOW + object + to + infinitive. "Let him leave" / "Allow him to leave." Tone difference: "let" = personal decision between people. "allow" = rule, policy, or formal authority.
Quick rule
Let + bare inf. = permit casually. Allow + to + inf. = permit formally.
Did you know?
"Let It Be" by The Beatles is a perfect example: "let" in its deepest sense — allowing things to be as they are, without interference. "Allow it to be" would sound like bureaucratic approval of existence. "Let" has an intimacy that "allow" cannot replicate.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
Smoking is not _____ anywhere inside this building.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
Can you _____ me borrow your charger for a few minutes?
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Let + bare inf. = permit casually. Allow + to + inf. = permit formally.
The grammar trap: after "let" the infinitive does NOT take "to". "Let me to go" is wrong — correct is "let me go". After "allow" the "to" IS required: "allow me to go". This is one of the most frequent errors. The reverse: "allow go" without "to" is also wrong.
Grammar rule: LET + object + bare infinitive (no to). ALLOW + object + to + infinitive. "Let him leave" / "Allow him to leave." Tone difference: "let" = personal decision between people. "allow" = rule, policy, or formal authority.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy