Let's

Pronunciation

• IPA: /lets/

Contraction

1. A contraction of let us used to form the first-person plural imperative of verbs.Let’s eat lunch sometime.Let’s dance.

Usage notes

Let’s is always inclusive, which refers to both the speaker and the addressee, while let us is commonly exclusive, which refers only to the speaker.

Let’s go, we are late. - inclusive we

Release us and let us go! - exclusive we

Negation of let's is let's not in standard English.

Let’s not talk about it.

Don't is also used, but it is often considered non-standard.

Let’s don’t talk about it. (US)

Don’t let’s talk about it. (British)

Derived terms

• let’s go
• let’s roll

Anagrams

• ELTs
• lest
• TESL