Structures with 'lassen'

The many uses of lassen — causative, permissive, and reflexive passive

The verb 'lassen' is one of the most versatile and important verbs in German. At C1 level, you master all its uses: causative (to have something done), permissive (to let someone do something), reflexive passive (es lässt sich machen = it can be done), and the semi-modal use in past tenses. Mastering 'lassen' significantly raises the sophistication of your German.

Causative lassen: to have/get something done

Er lässt das Auto reparieren. (He is having the car repaired / He has the car repaired.) | Ich lasse mir die Haare schneiden. (I'm having my hair cut.) | Sie lassen das Haus bauen. (They are having the house built.) Structure: lassen (conjugated) + ... + infinitive (at end). The doer of the action is not the subject.

Permissive lassen: to let/allow someone to do something

Er lässt mich nicht schlafen. (He won't let me sleep.) | Die Mutter lässt die Kinder spielen. (The mother lets the children play.) | Lass mich das erklären. (Let me explain that.) | Lasst uns anfangen! (Let's begin!) Here the person who DOES the action is in Akkusativ, the infinitive is at the end.

Reflexive lassen + Infinitiv — passive alternative

Das lässt sich machen. (That can be done.) | Das lässt sich nicht so einfach erklären. (That cannot be easily explained.) | Fehler lassen sich vermeiden. (Mistakes can be avoided.) | Die Tür lässt sich öffnen. (The door can be opened.) This expresses POSSIBILITY — equivalent to 'kann + Pp2 + werden' but more elegant.

Lassen in perfect tenses — double infinitive

In Perfekt, 'lassen' uses INFINITIVE (not Partizip II) when combined with another verb: Ich habe das Auto reparieren lassen. (I had the car repaired.) | Sie hat die Kinder spielen lassen. (She let the children play.) The two infinitives appear at the end: reparieren lassen. This 'double infinitive' replaces the normal Partizip II 'gelassen'.

Lassen as standalone verb: to leave/let remain

When 'lassen' is the main verb (without a following infinitive): Er hat das Buch auf dem Tisch gelassen. (He left the book on the table.) | Lass das! (Stop that!/Leave it!) | Sie hat alles so gelassen, wie es war. (She left everything as it was.) Here the regular Partizip II 'gelassen' IS used.

Use	Meaning	Structure	Example
Causative	to have sth done	lassen + Akk.obj + Inf.	Er lässt das Haus streichen.
Permissive	to let/allow	lassen + person (Akk.) + Inf.	Er lässt mich gehen.
Reflexive passive	can be done	sich lassen + Inf.	Das lässt sich arrangieren.
Standalone	to leave/let remain	lassen + Akk.obj (no Inf.)	Lass das Buch hier!
Let's...	invitation/suggestion	Lass uns / Lasst uns + Inf.	Lass uns das besprechen!

Situation	Correct Form	Example
With following Inf. (causative/permissive)	haben + Inf. + lassen	Ich habe es machen lassen.
Without following Inf. (standalone)	haben + gelassen	Ich habe es gelassen.
Reflexive lassen Perfekt	hat sich + Inf. + lassen	Das hat sich nicht vermeiden lassen.

Wir lassen uns von einem Experten beraten.

We are having ourselves advised by an expert.

Causative + reflexive: getting advice for oneself

Das Problem lässt sich auf mehrere Weisen lösen.

The problem can be solved in several ways.

Reflexive lassen = elegant passive alternative for possibility

Er hat sein Fahrrad reparieren lassen.

He had his bicycle repaired.

Perfekt with double infinitive: reparieren lassen (not: hat reparieren gelassen)

Lass uns die Optionen noch einmal durchgehen.

Let's go through the options once more.

Suggestion with Lass uns + infinitive

Diese Entscheidung lässt sich nicht rückgängig machen.

This decision cannot be undone.

Reflexive lassen for impossibility: lässt sich nicht + Inf.

The reflexive 'lassen + sich' is one of the most elegant and frequent constructions in formal German. It sounds more sophisticated than passive and more idiomatic than 'kann + werden'. Master it: 'Das lässt sich einrichten' (That can be arranged).
Double infinitive in Perfekt: the rule is simple — if 'lassen' has a FOLLOWING infinitive, use double infinitive (Inf. + lassen). If 'lassen' is standalone (=to leave), use 'gelassen'. This is one of the trickier points of German grammar.
'Lass uns' (informal) and 'Lassen Sie uns' (formal) are the German equivalents of 'Let's...'. Very useful for making suggestions: Lass uns das morgen besprechen (Let's discuss that tomorrow).
Causative lassen with reflexive dative: 'Ich lasse mir die Haare schneiden' (I'm getting my hair cut). The 'mir' (dative) shows it's done FOR/TO myself. 'Ich lasse das Haus bauen' (I'm having the house built) — no reflexive, as it's not done to me.

Using 'gelassen' instead of double infinitive: ✗ Ich habe das Auto gelassen reparieren → ✓ Ich habe das Auto reparieren lassen.
Confusing causative and permissive lassen: both use the same structure but context differs: Er lässt das Haus bauen (has it built — causative: he arranges it) vs. Er lässt mich das Haus bauen (lets me build it — permissive: he gives permission).
Using 'sich lassen' for obligation: ✗ Das lässt sich machen = It must be done → ✓ Das lässt sich machen = It CAN be done (possibility, not obligation). For obligation use: Das ist zu machen / Das muss gemacht werden.

Das lässt sich nicht so einfach erklären.

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Das lässt sich nicht so einfach erklären.

That cannot be explained so simply.

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