Breakdown of Lascia usare il tablet a Marco. Lui non ce l'ha.
lui
he
non
not
Marco
Marco
a
to / at
lasciare
to leave (an object)
usare
to use
lo
him/it (direct object)
averci
to have (emphatic)
il tablet
the tablet
Questions & Answers about Lascia usare il tablet a Marco. Lui non ce l'ha.
How does ce l'ha break down, and why is it used here instead of just non lo ha?
This comes from the colloquial verb averci, which Italians use in spoken language to emphasize possessing something. It breaks down into ci + lo (the tablet) + ha. When ci sits next to a direct object pronoun like lo, it changes to ce. The pronoun lo then drops its "o" before the "h" in ha, giving us ce l'ha. While non lo ha is technically correct, non ce l'ha is much more natural in everyday conversation.
Why do we say a Marco and not just Marco?
In English we say "Let Marco use...", but Italian uses the structure lasciare fare qualcosa a qualcuno (literally "to let do something to someone"). Because il tablet is the direct object (the thing being used), the person allowed to do the action (Marco) becomes the indirect object. Therefore, his name must be introduced by the preposition a.
Why is the subject pronoun Lui included in the second sentence?
Italian usually drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already tells you who is acting. However, pronouns are kept for emphasis or contrast. Here, putting Lui at the start of the sentence shifts the spotlight directly onto Marco: He (as opposed to someone else who might have one) doesn't have a tablet.
Is lascia a command or just the present tense?
It is a command, specifically the imperative form for tu (informal "you"). For -are verbs like lasciare, the informal imperative looks exactly like the present tense lui/lei form. The speaker is directly telling one person, "(You) let Marco use the tablet."
Learn Lascia usare il tablet a Marco. Lui non ce l'ha and more in Italian
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free