let vs let's, What's the Difference?

Which to use

“let” is an adjective and “let's” is a contraction - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#16,630
“let” frequency rank: #23,474
“let's” frequency rank: 40104
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	let	let's
Definition	Ligero.	Usado para formar el cohortativo de los verbos, equivalente a la primera persona plural del imperativo en otros idiomas; "vamos a + infinitivo".

Where the spellings diverge

Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set let and let's apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.

3 ch

let

5 ch

let's

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: let is [lɛd] while let's is /lɛts/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they differ by 2 extra letter(s) - “let” sits inside “let's”, and the parts of speech differ too (adjective vs contraction), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 40104, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

let is recorded at frequency rank #16,630, classified as anadj, pronounced [lɛd]. let's is at rank #23,474, tagged as acontraction, pronounced /lɛts/.

Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.

With a confusion score of 40104, this pair ranks #160,895 of 323,831 scored Spanish confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of let vs let's

Shared letters: elt. Private to "let": -. Private to "let's": s.

"let" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "let's" · 4 letters · shape CVCC

Frequency comparison

let#16,630

let's#23,474

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "let" and "let's" be used interchangeably?

No - they are not even the same part of speech. "let" is an adjective and "let's" a contraction, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.

Which is more common, "let" or "let's"?

"let" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #16,630 in our Spanish list, against #23,474 for "let's". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

Remembering let vs let's

The fastest way to pick the right one every time.

Check the role first: if you need an adjective, it's “let”; for a contraction, it's “let's”.
See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “let” entry
Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable