在中文中,“让”是一个常见而灵活的动词,用于表示“允许”、“命令”、“建议”、“使得”等多种意思。然而在英语中,表示“让”的对应词并不只有 let
一种。很多时候,如果不加分析地将“让”译为 let
,很容易出现错误表达。
✘ 错误表达: The doctor let me stay in bed.
解析: let
意为“允许”,用于表示放行、允许做某事,但医生说“让你卧床休息”并不是简单的“允许”,而更接近于“建议”或“要求”。因此,应根据语境选择更准确的动词。
✔ 正确表达: The doctor advised me to stay in bed.
理由: advise
表示“建议”,在表达医生的专业意见时更合适。
let
通常表示“允许”或“让某人去做某事”,其句型结构为:
let + 人 + 动词原形
示例:
Let him go.(让他走。)
My mom doesn't let me watch TV at night.(我妈妈不让我晚上看电视。)
let go (of)
:放手
let out
:放出,释放
let in
:让进来
let someone do something
:允许某人做某事
英语中根据“让”的具体语义,常见替代动词包括:
动词 | 中文含义 | 适用语境 | 例句 |
---|---|---|---|
let | 允许 | 允许某人做某事 | Please let me go home early. |
make | 使,让(强迫) | 强迫或导致某人做某事 | My teacher made me do it again. |
ask | 请求/要求 | 委婉请求别人做某事 | I asked him to help me. |
tell | 命令、告诉 | 命令或指导某人做事 | She told me to be quiet. |
advise | 建议 | 给予专业或委婉建议 | The doctor advised me to drink more water. |
allow | 允许(正式) | 用于规则、政策、权限相关 | Smoking is not allowed here. |
此处 Let's
是 let us
的缩写,用于建议一起做某事,语气友好。
let me
表示“请允许我”,用于请求行为许可。
let sb in
是固定短语,表示“让某人进去”。这里表示“拒绝进入”。
此处“让”是“迁就、照顾”的意思,不能用 let
,而用 humour
(顺从、体谅)。
“让某人做某事”不是“允许”,而是“使某人处于某种状态”,因此不能用 let
,而用 keep + 宾语 + doing
。
此处是“强迫”语气,应该用 make + sb + 动词原形
,表示“让某人不得不做某事”。
把“建议/命令/要求”误译为 let:
✘ The teacher let me finish the test at home.
✔ The teacher allowed me / told me / asked me to finish the test at home.
把“使得/导致”误译为 let:
✘ His joke let everyone laugh.
✔ His joke made everyone laugh.
忽视 let 后接原形动词的结构限制:
✘ She let me to go.
✔ She let me go.
The teacher __________ us to bring our own pens.(老师要求我们带自己的笔。)
My mother __________ me to go to bed early.(妈妈让我早点睡。)
Don't __________ your children watch TV all day.(不要让孩子整天看电视。)
The doctor __________ her to drink more water.(医生建议她多喝水。)
He __________ me try again and again.(他让我一次又一次地尝试。)
The boss __________ them work late at night.(老板让他们工作到深夜。)
Let’s + 动词原形:表示建议或邀请。如:Let’s play basketball.
Let sb down:让某人失望。如:Don’t let your parents down.
Let sb know:告诉某人。如:Please let me know if you need help.
Let sb go:释放某人。如:The police let the man go.