dejarle
“dejarle” means “to leave him/her/you (formal) something” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to leave him/her/you (formal) something
Also: to hand over to him/her/you (formal)
📝 In Action
Fui al banco a dejarle dinero a mi hermano.
A2I went to the bank to leave money for my brother (him).
Si no estás, voy a dejarle la llave a tu vecina.
A2If you aren't here, I am going to leave the key for your neighbor (her).
to let him/her/you (formal)
Also: to permit him/her/you (formal)
📝 In Action
No puedes dejarle ir a la fiesta si no ha terminado sus tareas.
B1You cannot let him go to the party if he hasn't finished his chores.
El guardia no quería dejarle pasar sin identificación.
B1The guard didn't want to let her pass without identification.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: dejarle
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'dejarle' to mean 'to allow him'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The verb *dejar* comes from the Latin *laxare*, meaning 'to loosen' or 'to relax,' giving it the dual sense of 'to let go' (leave behind) and 'to allow' (to loosen restrictions). The pronoun *le* comes from Latin *illi*, meaning 'to him/her'.
First recorded: 10th century (base verb)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 'dejarle' sometimes written as two words ('le voy a dejar') and sometimes as one word ('voy a dejarle')?
When the verb is conjugated (like 'voy'), the pronoun 'le' usually goes before it ('le voy a dejar'). But when the verb is in the infinitive ('dejar') or the gerund ('dejando'), you have the choice to attach the pronoun to the end, forming one word ('voy a dejarle' or 'estoy dejándole').