нека

Let with Нека

Level 3Sounds Like neka

Нека (да) + a present-tense verb means let ...: Нека да помисля. (Let me think.) Нека влезе. (Let him come in.)

How It Works

1. The shape. Нека + (optional да) + a present-tense verb. The verb ending tells you who should act:

  • Нека (да) помисля. (Let me think.) First person singular.
  • Нека (да) влезе. (Let him come in.) Third person.
  • Нека (да) започнем. (Let us begin.) First person plural.
  • Нека (да) дойдат. (Let them come.)

There is no word for me or him after нека: the person is already in the verb. A dative or object pronoun appears when the verb needs one, as in Нека ти помогна. An explicit subject pronoun may also appear for contrast or emphasis; do not add an English-style object me just to mark the actor. (Let me help you.)

2. What it expresses.

  • A polite offer or request for yourself: Нека да проверя. (Let me check.)
  • A suggestion for us, a little more formal than хайде да: Нека започнем. (Let us begin.) Among friends, Хайде да започваме is more usual.
  • Permission or a wish about someone else: Нека влезе. (Let him come in.) Нека бъде както искаш. (Let it be as you wish.)
  • Indifference or a warning in emotional speech: Нека върви, щом иска. (Let him go, if he wants to.)

3. Negation. Не goes after нека (and after да if you use it), right before the verb: Нека (да) не говорим за това. (Let's not talk about that.)

4. Aspect. As after да, a perfective verb names one complete action (Нека помисля), and an imperfective verb names an ongoing or general activity (Нека да вървим. Let's get going.).

Examples (6)

  1. Нека да помисля.

    Let me think.

    First person singular: the verb ending -я shows who.

  2. Нека влезе.

    Let him come in.

    Нека without да is equally correct.

  3. Нека започнем.

    Let us begin.

    A polite, slightly formal suggestion to a group.

  4. Нека не говорим за това сега.

    Let's not talk about that now.

    Не goes after нека, right before the verb.

  5. Нека ти помогна.

    Let me help you.

    Ти belongs to the verb помогна, not to нека.

  6. Нека бъде както искаш.

    Let it be as you wish.

Common Mistakes

  • Copying English let me with a pronoun.

    Нека ме помисля.
    Нека да помисля.

    Bulgarian has no word for me here. The verb помисля already means I think.

  • Using the imperative after нека.

    Нека дойди.
    Нека дойде.

    Нека takes the ordinary present tense. Дойди is a command to you, while дойде means he or she comes.

  • Putting не before нека.

    Не нека говорим за това.
    Нека не говорим за това.

    The negation belongs to the verb, so не comes after нека and right before говорим.

How It Connects

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

некаLevel 3Let with Нека

Learn This First

Нека builds on да clauses and хайде да.

Words in This Pattern

нека