Participe passé de "laisser" + infinitif

When we talk about the past in French, we usually use the Passé Composé. Most verbs in this tense like to change their endings to match who or what we are talking about. They act like chameleons, adding an e for girls or an s for groups. However, when laisser is followed by an infinitive (a verb in its basic "to" form), it becomes a rebel. It refuses to change. It stays as laissé no matter what. Think of the infinitive verb that follows as a "bodyguard." It protects laissé from all those annoying agreement rules. This happens because the two verbs team up to create a single idea: "to let [action] happen." Because they are a team, the first verb doesn't have to worry about matching the subject or the object. It’s a fixed block of meaning. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes by trying to be too fancy with extra letters, but the modern, correct way is to keep it simple and static. It’s like a grammar traffic light that stays green for you!

1. 1Start with your Subject. This is the person giving permission (e.g., Je, Tu, Le prof).
2. 2Add your helper verb avoir. This is your engine (e.g., ai, as, a, avons).
3. 3Drop in the magic word laissé. Do not add an e. Do not add an s. Just laissé.
4. 4Place your object (if you have one). These are the little words like me, te, le, la, nous, vous, les.
5. 5Finish with the Infinitive. This is the second action (e.g., partir, manger, entrer).
6. 6Example: Elle nous a laissé partir. (She let us leave). Notice how laissé doesn't care that "us" is a group. It stays exactly as it is.

You will use this pattern whenever you are describing a past situation where permission was given or an action was allowed to proceed. It’s perfect for real-world scenarios:

• Ordering food: If you let your friend choose the appetizer, you'd say: Je l'ai laissé choisir.
• Asking directions: If someone let you pass in traffic: Il m'a laissé passer.
• Job interviews: If the recruiter let you speak first: Elle m'a laissé parler.
• Daily life: If you let the dog sleep on the sofa: Je l'ai laissé dormir.

It’s a very common, helpful way to describe the flow of events. It makes your French sound smooth and logical because it links two actions together seamlessly.

This "no-change" rule only applies if there is an infinitive verb right after laisser. If you are just using laisser to mean "to leave something behind," the normal, annoying rules come back. For example, if you say "I left the keys," and you put the keys at the start of the sentence, you would need to add an es to laissées.

• With infinitive: Je les ai laissé tomber. (I let them fall - No agreement!)
• Without infinitive: Les clés que j'ai laissées. (The keys I left - Agreement applies!)

Think of it like this: the infinitive is the magic ingredient. Without it, the magic fades, and you have to go back to the standard grammar grind. Only use our simple laissé version when you see that second verb standing right there.

The most frequent trap is "Over-Grammarizing." You might think, "Wait, I'm talking about my sisters, so I must add an s to laissé!" This is a natural instinct, but you have to fight it.

• ✗ Wrong: Je les ai laissées chanter.
• ✓ Correct: Je les ai laissé chanter.

Another mistake is forgetting the helper verb avoir. You can't just say Je laissé partir. You need that ai in the middle to bridge the gap. Finally, don't confuse laisser with faire. While they follow the same rule, laisser is about permission (letting), while faire is about obligation (making). If you use the wrong one, you might accidentally tell your boss you forced them to give you a raise instead of saying they let you have one! That might be a very awkward Monday morning.

This rule is the identical twin of the faire + infinitive rule. If you've already learned Je l'ai fait rire (I made her laugh), you already know the logic here. Both laisser and faire are "causative" verbs. They cause or allow another action to happen. Because they are so closely linked to that second verb, they both stay invariable. It’s a small club of verbs that get this special treatment. Most other French verbs are much more demanding. By mastering laisser, you’re actually getting a "two-for-one" deal on grammar rules. It’s like buying one textbook and getting the second half of the course for free!