sech loossen

Can Be Done: Sech Loossen

Level 4

Sech loossen + infinitive means can be done: Dat léisst sech maachen. (That can be done.) D'Fënster léisst sech net opmaachen. (The window won't open.)

How It Works

1. The forms
Only the third person is used: léisst sech (singular) and loossen sech (plural). Before sech, dropping the n is optional under the n-rule: loosse sech and loossen sech are both correct.

  • Dat léisst sech maachen. (That can be done.)
  • D'Grompere loosse sech mat dësem Messer gutt schielen. (The potatoes peel easily with this knife.)

2. Word order
As with loossen, the infinitive goes to the end with no ze. A separable verb stays in one piece: D'Fënster léisst sech net opmaachen.

3. Words that often come with it
An adverb usually says how easily it can be done: gutt (well), einfach (easily), séier (quickly), or net (not at all):

  • Esou Problemer loosse sech séier léisen. (Problems like that can be solved quickly.)
  • D'Gléck léisst sech net kafen. (Happiness cannot be bought.)

4. In the past
The perfect follows the loossen pattern, with the infinitive before the participle gelooss: D'Fënster huet sech net opmaache gelooss. (The window would not open.)

5. With a person as subject
When the subject is a person, sech loossen usually means to have or let something be done to yourself: Hie léisst sech operéieren. (He is having an operation.) The can be done meaning belongs to things. See Reflexive Verbs With Sech.

6. Other ways to say it
You can also use kënnen with a passive or with een: Dat ka gemaach ginn. Dat kann ee maachen. Sech loossen is shorter and very common in everyday speech.

Examples (6)

  1. Dat léisst sech maachen.

    That can be done.

    A friendly way to agree to a request.

  2. D'Fënster léisst sech net opmaachen.

    The window won't open.

    The separable verb opmaachen stays joined at the end.

  3. D'Gléck léisst sech net kafen.

    Happiness cannot be bought.

  4. Dëse Wäi léisst sech gutt drénken.

    This wine is easy to drink.

    Dësen loses its n before W by the n-rule. For Wäin, dropping the n is optional: Wäi or Wäin.

  5. D'Grompere loosse sech mat dësem Messer gutt schielen.

    The potatoes peel easily with this knife.

    A plural subject takes loosse sech.

  6. Esou Problemer loosse sech séier léisen.

    Problems like that can be solved quickly.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out sech.

    Dat léisst maachen.
    Dat léisst sech maachen.

    Without sech, léisst means lets, and the sentence is missing who is allowed to do what. The can-be-done pattern always needs sech.

  • Adding ze before the infinitive.

    D'Fënster léisst sech net opzemaachen.
    D'Fënster léisst sech net opmaachen.

    Loossen takes a bare infinitive, like a modal verb. Ze is never used here.

  • Using the singular léisst with a plural subject.

    D'Grompere léisst sech gutt schielen.
    D'Grompere loosse sech gutt schielen.

    D'Grompere is plural, so the verb is loossen. Before sech its n is optional: loosse sech or loossen sech.

How It Connects

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

sech loossenLevel 4Can Be Done: Sech Loossen

Learn This First

Before Can Be Done: Sech loossen, learn Letting and Having Things Done: Loossen and Reflexive Verbs With Sech.

Words in This Pattern

loossensech