Expressing Potential with "Zich Laten"
To express that something can be done, is easy to do, or is impossible to do, Dutch often uses the reflexive phrase zich laten paired with an infinitive. This translates literally to something "allowing itself" to be acted upon.
| This culinary experience is difficult to describe. | Deze culinaire ervaring laat zich moeilijk omschrijven. |
To form this, use the conjugated verb laten, the reflexive pronoun zich, and a bare infinitive at the end of the clause. This structure frequently pairs with adverbs like moeilijk (difficult), makkelijk (easy), or perfect (perfectly).
| According to the critic, the truffle can be perfectly combined with wine. | Volgens de recensent laat de truffel zich perfect combineren met wijn. |
You can also use negative words like niet (not) or niets (nothing) to express that an action is impossible.
| The texture of the oyster cannot be compared to anything. | De textuur van de oester laat zich met niets vergelijken. |
Culinary Critiques and Descriptions
Because zich laten sounds slightly formal, you will often encounter it in reviews, critiques, and instructions—such as discussing how a dish is prepared, shared, or how ingredients pair together.
| This spicy dish can be prepared quickly. | Dit kruidige gerecht laat zich snel bereiden. |
| This delicacy can be perfectly shared. | Deze delicatesse laat zich perfect delen. |