Deixar vs. Permitir: Say “Let” or “Allow” in Portuguese
Deixar has several everyday meanings, including leave and let; permitir focuses more directly on giving permission.
Real Life Portuguese · 6 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
The short answer
Deixar can mean leave something behind or allow someone to do something. The meaning depends on the pattern: deixar a bolsa aqui (leave the bag here) and deixar alguém entrar (let someone come in).
Use deixar for leaving or letting something happen
In the permission sense, deixar + person + infinitive is very common in Brazilian conversation. The person after deixar is the one who gets permission, while the next verb names the action.
Vou deixar as chaves na mesa.
I’m going to leave the keys on the table.
Minha mãe me deixa dirigir o carro.
My mother lets me drive the car.
Pode deixar a janela aberta.
You can leave the window open.
Use permitir for explicit permission
Permitir means allow or permit and puts the focus on permission or authorization. It is common in rules, formal communication, and everyday speech: o hotel permite animais (the hotel allows pets).
Permitir can take a person or action, often with a direct object or a que-clause. In casual conversation, deixar is often more natural for letting a person do something; permitir sounds explicit and can feel more formal.
O regulamento não permite fumar aqui.
The rules do not allow smoking here.
A escola permite que os alunos usem o celular no intervalo.
The school allows students to use their phones during the break.
Você me permite fazer uma pergunta?
May I ask you a question?
Put it into practice
Deixar can mean leave or let someone do something. Permitir focuses on permission or authorization and may sound more formal. Check whether the sentence means leave an object or allow an action.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “May I ask you a question”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
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