Let or make?

[Nightmare85]

Hey my dear English friends,

Which sentence would you choose?
He doesn't let you look good.
He doesn't make you look good.

I would have chosen #1, but only because it sounds similar to German.

Cheers!

[Allen165]

Hey my dear English friends,

Which sentence would you choose?
He doesn't let you look good.
He doesn't make you look good.

I would have chosen #1, but only because it sounds similar to German.

Cheers!

NOT A TEACHER.

The first sentence means he doesn't allow you or give you permission to look good. That is probably not what you meant to express.

[5jj]

He doesn't let you look good. = He does not allow you to look good.
He doesn't make you look good. = He does not force you to look good.

They both sound a little strange to me. What sort of person is 'He'?

[Allen165]

They both sound a little strange to me. What sort of person is 'He'?

The second sentence could have another meaning, apart from the one you explained: it could mean, "he makes you look bad." Or something like that.

[Nightmare85]

Hey,

Thank you for your replies.
I'm trying to express this:
He talks bad things about you all the time, and this doesn't make you look good.
So some people (who hear that) might think you're a bad guy.

Cheers!

[Allen165]

Hey,

Thank you for your replies.
I'm trying to express this:
He talks bad things about you all the time, and this doesn't make you look good.
So some people (who hear that) might think you're a bad guy.

Cheers!

That's ok, but one could argue that the "This doesn't make you look good" part is unnecessary since badmouthing someone makes that person look bad per se.

Just a thought.