A2-47 · Arrange for someone else to do a job
Repairs at home
Use lassen with an infinitive to say that you have a repair done.
About 5 minutes to read · 12 quiz questions
01
Have something repaired
Lassen plus an infinitive can mean arrange for someone else to do something: Ich lasse das Fenster reparieren. You arrange the repair; another person does the work.
Ich lasse das Fenster reparieren.
I am having the window repaired.
Mara lässt die Heizung reparieren.
Mara is having the heating repaired.
Wir lassen die Tür streichen.
We are having the door painted.
Ben lässt das Schloss wechseln.
Ben is having the lock changed.
Die Reparatur means repair, das Fenster window and die Heizung heating. Use an infinitive without zu after lassen.
02
Change lassen for the subject
The forms are ich lasse, du lässt, er or sie lässt, wir lassen, ihr lasst, sie or Sie lassen. The infinitive naming the job stays at the end.
Du lässt das Fenster reparieren.
You are having the window repaired.
Ben lässt die Heizung prüfen.
Ben is having the heating checked.
Ihr lasst die Tür streichen.
You all are having the door painted.
Wir lassen das Schloss wechseln.
We are having the lock changed.
Lassen can also mean let or allow. The repair context here means arrange for someone to do the work.
03
Name who does the work
Compare Ich repariere die Tür with Ich lasse die Tür reparieren. The first says you do the work; the second says you arrange it. You can name the worker: Ich lasse den Handwerker die Tür reparieren.
Ich repariere die Tür selbst.
I repair the door myself.
Ich lasse den Handwerker die Tür reparieren.
I have the tradesman repair the door.
Die Handwerkerin repariert das Fenster.
The tradeswoman repairs the window.
Der Vermieter organisiert die Reparatur.
The landlord organizes the repair.
Der Handwerker is a tradesman and die Handwerkerin a tradeswoman. Der Vermieter is a landlord and die Vermieterin a landlady.
Ready to try it?
Check what you remember with 12 short questions.
Loading quiz…