lasciare + Pronoun

'Lasciare' with a Pronoun Object

Level 4

The causative construction lasciare + infinitive means 'to let' or 'to allow'. It uses clitic pronouns to indicate who is being allowed to act.

How It Works

The verb lasciare functions as a permissive causative or as part of a pro-complementary verb structure.

1. Pronoun Choice with Infinitives:
The choice of pronoun depends on whether the infinitive has its own direct object:

Direct Object Pronouns (lo, la, li, le): Used when the infinitive has no direct object. Example: Lo lascio uscire (I let him go out) or Lo lascio mangiare (I let him eat).
Indirect Object Pronouns (gli, le, loro): Used when the infinitive has its own direct object. Example: Gli lascio mangiare la mela (I let him eat the apple).

2. The Pro-complementary 'Lasciarci':
In the verb lasciarci, the particle ci is lexicalized (fossilized), meaning it is part of the verb's fixed meaning rather than acting as a locative ci. It appears in idiomatic expressions like lasciarci la pelle or lasciarci le penne (to lose one's life/die).

3. Past Participle Agreement:
In compound tenses like the passato prossimo, agreement of the past participle lasciato with a preceding direct object pronoun is optional in modern Italian. While L'ho lasciata parlare is traditional, L'ho lasciato parlare is common in neutral speech.

4. Modern Usage:
In spoken Italian, speakers often use direct object pronouns even when a second object is present (e.g., L'ho lasciata mangiare la mela). While the indirect pronoun is preferred in formal writing to avoid having two direct objects, the direct pronoun is frequently heard in casual conversation.

Examples (5)

Mia madre non mi lascia uscire la sera.
My mother doesn't let me go out in the evening.
Word by Word: My mother not me lets to go out the evening.
Here, 'mi' is a direct object pronoun because 'uscire' is an intransitive verb.
Le ho lasciato guidare la mia macchina.
I let her drive my car.
Word by Word: To her I have let to drive the my car.
In formal Italian, 'le' (indirect) is used because 'guidare' has a direct object ('la mia macchina').
Lasciali fare, sanno quello che fanno.
Let them do it, they know what they are doing.
Word by Word: Let them to do, they know that which they do.
The pronoun 'li' is attached to the end of the imperative 'lascia'.
L'ho lasciata parlare per ore.
I let her talk for hours.
Word by Word: Her I have let (feminine) to talk for hours.
Note the agreement of the past participle 'lasciata' with the direct object pronoun 'la' (elided to L').
In quell'incidente ci ha lasciato la pelle.
He lost his life in that accident.
Word by Word: In that accident there he has left the skin.
This is an idiomatic use of 'lasciarci' meaning to die or lose one's life.

Common Mistakes

Attaching the pronoun to the infinitive instead of 'lasciare'.
Lascio parlarlo.
Lo lascio parlare.
The clitic belongs to the causative verb lasciare, not to the following infinitive. With an indicative form it comes first: Lo lascio parlare. With an affirmative imperative it attaches to lasciare: Lascialo parlare! Do not transfer the modal pattern Voglio vederlo to this causative construction.
Confusing 'lasciare' (letting) with 'fare' (making).
Fallo uscire! (when you mean 'let him')
Lascialo uscire!
'Fare' implies a command or cause, while 'lasciare' implies permission or lack of resistance.

How It Connects

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

lasciare + PronounLevel 4'Lasciare' with a Pronoun Object

Learn This First

To learn 'lasciare' with a pronoun object, you first need to understand the basic 'lasciare + infinitive' structure. You also need to be familiar with direct object pronouns and the rules governing where they are placed when an infinitive is present.

Words in This Pattern

lasciare

Sources

Practice lasciare + Pronoun in Bubblegum

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