What does "To let" mean?

[tufguy]

What does "To let" mean? I saw it several times in the past. If someone wanted to rent out their apartment they put a flyer on the door or wall saying "To let". What exactly does it mean?

 

[emsr2d2]

"let" is another word for rent so the sign just means "This apartment is available to rent".

 

[Tarheel]

What does "To let" mean? I saw it several times in the past. If someone wanted to rent out their apartment they put a flyer on the door or wall saying "To let". What exactly does it mean?

You answered your own question, tufguy. (Reread the second sentence.)

 

[bubbha]

In the US, the same kinds of signs would say "For rent".

 

[Tdol]

They could also say that in the UK.

 

[GoesStation]

They could also say that in the UK.

UK English is richer than the American kind in this regard. Where it has the verbs rent, let, and hire, we Americans have to make do with the single verb rent.

 

[Tarheel]

In the US, the same kinds of signs would say "For rent".

I'm pretty sure they used to use "to let" here. I remember that song by Johnny Cash, which goes "Room to let, fifty cents. I'm a man of means by no means" (King of the Road).

(I can't post a link to that song using this device, but I'm going to cross my fingers and hope somebody does.)

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm pretty sure they used to use "to let" here. I remember that song by Johnny Cash, which goes "Room to let, fifty cents. I'm a man of means by no means" (King of the Road).

(I can't post a link to that song using this device, but I'm going to cross my fingers and hope somebody does.)

Well, I can do you a link to the song by Roger Miller!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HBQFjoqDYE

 

[GoesStation]

An English member of a sadly-defunct French language forum I used to frequent loved to point out various deficiencies he perceived in French. He chose rent/let as one example, noting that the (to him) inadequate French language had only one word to express both ideas. It was a poor choice, as I couldn't refrain from pointing out that American English also manages to use a single word for both sides of the transaction.

 

[Skrej]

While AmE doesn't use let=rent all that much, 'sublet' does seem to be more common, relatively speaking.

 

[bubbha]

UK English is richer than the American kind in this regard. Where it has the verbs rent, let, and hire, we Americans have to make do with the single verb rent.

In the US, "hire" is used with people (e.g., "hire an employee"; we can also say "hire his services"), whereas it's common in the UK to use "hire" with inanimate objects, like "hire a car".

 

[GoesStation]

In the US, "hire" is used with people (e.g., "hire an employee"; we can also say "hire his services"), whereas it's common in the UK to use "hire" with inanimate objects, like "hire a car".

Its meaning is different though.

 

[Tarheel]

Well, I can do you a link to the song by Roger Miller!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HBQFjoqDYE

Thanks Ems!