Inklingo
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A person in a blue uniform stands beside a decorative wooden gate, holding it wide open while politely gesturing for a smaller person in a red outfit to walk through first.

permita

per-MEE-tah

verbB1regular ir
allow (formal command)?Used when telling someone politely to let something happen.,may allow?Used to express wishes, doubts, or necessities (Subjunctive mood).
Also:permit?Formal equivalent of 'allow'.,let?Informal synonym.

Quick Reference

past Participlepermitido
infinitivepermitir
gerundpermitiendo

📝 In Action

Permita que le ayude con su equipaje, por favor.

A2

Allow me to help you with your luggage, please.

Espero que la situación nos permita viajar pronto.

B1

I hope the situation allows us to travel soon.

Mi jefe no quiere que yo permita ninguna excepción a la regla.

B2

My boss does not want me to allow any exception to the rule.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • autorizar (to authorize)
  • dejar (to let/to leave)

Antonyms

  • prohibir (to prohibit)
  • impedir (to impede)

Common Collocations

  • permita el paso – allow passage
  • que Dios permita – may God allow

💡 Grammar Points

Formal Commands

When you want to tell a person formally (using 'usted') to allow something, you use 'permita'. This is the same form as the 'él/ella/usted' form in the special verb mood used for wishes and influence.

Subjunctive Use

'Permita' is the form used for 'yo', 'él', 'ella', and 'usted' when the verb is in the special mood used to talk about wishes, doubts, or things that might happen, often after words like 'espero que' (I hope that) or 'no creo que' (I don't believe that).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Formal vs. Informal Command

Mistake: "Using 'permite' when speaking formally to a boss or elder."

Correction: Use 'permita' for formal requests (usted command) and 'permite' for informal requests (tú command). Remember: 'permita' is always more polite.

⭐ Usage Tips

The Polite Opener

'Permita' is an excellent way to start a polite request, especially when followed by 'que'. Example: 'Permita que me presente' (Allow me to introduce myself).

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

vosotrospermitís
él/ella/ustedpermite
túpermites
yopermito
nosotrospermitimos
ellos/ellas/ustedespermiten

preterite

vosotrospermitisteis
él/ella/ustedpermitió
túpermitiste
yopermití
nosotrospermitimos
ellos/ellas/ustedespermitieron

imperfect

vosotrospermitíais
él/ella/ustedpermitía
túpermitías
yopermitía
nosotrospermitíamos
ellos/ellas/ustedespermitían

subjunctive

present

vosotrospermitáis
él/ella/ustedpermita
túpermitas
yopermita
nosotrospermitamos
ellos/ellas/ustedespermitan

imperfect

vosotrospermitierais
él/ella/ustedpermitiera
túpermitieras
yopermitiera
nosotrospermitiéramos
ellos/ellas/ustedespermitieran
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: permita

Question 1 of 2

Which of these sentences uses 'permita' as a formal command?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'permita' a command or a statement?

'Permita' can be both! It is the formal command form (telling someone politely what to do), and it is also the form used for 'yo', 'él', 'ella', and 'usted' in the special verb mood (subjunctive) used for uncertainty or influence.

How do I know if 'permita' is the 'yo' form or the 'usted' form?

You usually know from the context. If the sentence starts with 'Yo quiero que...' or 'No creo que yo...' it’s the 'yo' form. If it starts the sentence and is clearly directed at someone you are addressing formally, it is the 'usted' command.