Skip to content

permettere

to allow

verb per-MET-teh-reh Common
People & Society Law

Origin: From Latin permittere (to let through, allow), from per- + mittere (to send).

Also means

to permit

Usage Note

Permettere takes avere as auxiliary (ho permesso) and is typically followed by di + infinitive: non mi permetto di farlo ('I won't allow myself to do it'). Permettersi (reflexive) means 'to afford' (financially or in terms of appropriateness): non me lo posso permettere = 'I can't afford it'. The past participle permesso doubles as the noun for a 'permit' or 'pass'.

Examples

"Non puoi permetterti di mancare a scuola."

Natural Translation

You cannot afford to miss school.

Explore Italian by topic