laat + Infinitive

Having Something Done: Laat

Level 3

Laat + a plain infinitive means let or have something done: Ek laat my hare sny. (I have my hair cut.)

How It Works

1. Let. Laat can mean allow: Laat my gaan! (Let me go!) Die onderwyser laat die kinders vroeg huis toe gaan. (The teacher lets the children go home early.)

2. Have something done. Laat also means that you arrange for someone else to do it: Ek laat my hare sny. (I have my hair cut.) Ons laat die dak regmaak. (We are having the roof repaired.) Compare Ek sny my hare, which means you cut it yourself.

3. The past. Het stands second, and laat + infinitive go to the end, both plain: Sy het die kar laat was. (She had the car washed.) Ek het my hare laat sny. (I had my hair cut.)

4. Fixed phrases. Some laat phrases are everyday expressions, such as laat weet (let know): Laat weet my as jy kom. (Let me know if you are coming.) For suggestions, laat ons means let's.

Tip: Laat is also an adjective meaning late: Dit is laat. (It is late.) Only laat with an infinitive means let or have done.

Examples (6)

  1. Laat my gaan!

    Let me go!

    Word by Word: Let me go!

  2. Ek laat my hare elke maand sny.

    I have my hair cut every month.

    Word by Word: I let my hair every month cut.

    Someone else cuts the hair.

  3. Sy het die kar laat was.

    She had the car washed.

    Word by Word: She has the car let wash.

    In the past, laat and was both stay plain.

  4. Ons het die dak laat regmaak.

    We had the roof repaired.

    Word by Word: We have the roof let right-make.

  5. Die onderwyser laat die kinders vroeg huis toe gaan.

    The teacher lets the children go home early.

    Word by Word: The teacher lets the children early house to go.

    Here laat means allow.

  6. Laat weet my as jy kom.

    Let me know if you are coming.

    Word by Word: Let know me if you come.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding ge- to the second verb.

    Sy het die kar laat gewas.
    Sy het die kar laat was.

    After laat, the verb stays plain, in the past too. Only het shows the past.

  • Adding te after laat.

    Laat my te gaan!
    Laat my gaan!

    Laat takes a plain infinitive, like a modal. There is no te.

  • Leaving out laat when someone else did the work.

    Ek het gister by die haarkapper my hare gesny.
    Ek het gister by die haarkapper my hare laat sny.

    Without laat, the sentence literally says that you cut your own hair. Laat makes clear that the hairdresser did it.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

laat + InfinitiveLevel 3Having Something Done: Laat

Learn This First

Laat + infinitive means having something done.

Words in This Pattern

laat