Vi låter barnen läsa en bok.

We let the children read a book.

Breakdown of Vi låter barnen läsa en bok.

• läsa: to read
• en: a
• boken: the book
• vi: we
• barnet: the child
• låta: to let

Questions & Answers about Vi låter barnen läsa en bok.

What does låter mean here, and is it the same låter as in Det låter bra?

Here låter (from låta) means “to let/allow.” It’s the same verb as in Det låter bra (“That sounds good”), but there it means “to sound.” Clue: when you see låta + someone + infinitive, it means “let/allow.” When you see låta without an object, often with som or an adjective/adverb (e.g., Det låter bra), it means “sound.”

Why is there no att before läsa?

Because låta takes a bare infinitive in Swedish: låta någon göra något (“let someone do something”). No att. This also happens with modal-like verbs (kan, vill, måste, ska, får) and some perception verbs (se, höra, känna).

Why is it läsa and not läser?

Läsa is the infinitive, required after låter in this causative construction. The finite verb here is låter; the action being allowed is expressed in the infinitive: läsa.

What are the grammatical roles of the words?

• Vi — subject (“we”)
• låter — finite verb (present) “let/allow”
• barnen — direct object of låter (the ones being allowed)
• läsa — bare infinitive (the action they are allowed to do)
• en bok — object of läsa (what they read)

How does barn inflect, and why is it barnen here?

• Singular: ett barn (“a child”)
• Definite singular: barnet (“the child”)
• Plural: barn (“children”)
• Definite plural: barnen (“the children”)

It’s barnen because we mean “the children.” Note: barna exists colloquially, but barnen is standard.

Why is it en bok, and how does bok decline?

Bok is a common-gender (en-word) noun:

• en bok (a book)
• boken (the book)
• böcker (books)
• böckerna (the books) The vowel changes in the plural (an umlaut: o → ö).

Can I say Vi låter barnen att läsa en bok?

No. After låta, you must use a bare infinitive: Vi låter barnen läsa en bok. If you use the more formal tillåta (“permit”), then att is required: Vi tillåter barnen att läsa en bok.

Can I use får instead of låter?

Yes, but you change the structure: Barnen får läsa en bok (“The children are allowed to read a book”). Vi låter barnen … highlights the agent (“we” allowing). Don’t say Vi får barnen läsa …—that means something else (see next).

How do I say “We get/make the children read a book,” not just allow?

Use the causative with få plus att: Vi får barnen att läsa en bok (“We get the children to read a book”). Stronger verbs include tvinga (“force”): Vi tvingar barnen att läsa en bok.

Where does the negation inte go?

• With a full noun phrase: Vi låter inte barnen läsa en bok (“We don’t let the children read a book”).
• With a pronoun object: Vi låter dem inte läsa en bok. Rule of thumb: inte comes after the finite verb; with pronoun objects it typically comes after the pronoun, before the infinitive.

How do I change the tense (past, perfect, future)?

• Past: Vi lät barnen läsa en bok (“We let …”).
• Present perfect: Vi har låtit barnen läsa en bok (“We have let …”).
• Future: Vi ska låta barnen läsa en bok / Vi kommer att låta barnen läsa en bok (“We will let …”).

How does word order work if I start with an adverbial?

Swedish is V2 (the finite verb is in second position). Example: Idag låter vi barnen läsa en bok. / Efter maten låter vi barnen läsa en bok.

How do I say “Let the children read a book!”?

Use the imperative of låta: Låt barnen läsa en bok!

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

• låter: long å (like the vowel in English “bore”), roughly “LOH-ter.”
• barnen: long a; the rn merges into a retroflex sound; roughly “BAAR-nen” with a retroflex “rn.”
• läsa: long ä (like “air” but without the final r), roughly “LEH-sa.”
• bok: long o (like English “oo” in “boo”), roughly “book.”

Can I drop the article and say läsa bok?

Not in standard Swedish. Use läsa en bok for a single unspecified book, läsa böcker for plural, or läsa någon bok for “read some/any book” in certain contexts.

Can I replace barnen with a pronoun, and which form is correct: de, dem, or dom?

As an object, use dem in standard writing: Vi låter dem läsa en bok. De is the subject form. Dom is the common spoken form for both and is accepted in informal writing.

How do I make the book definite?

Change the object of läsa: Vi låter barnen läsa boken (“We let the children read the book”).