The Difference Between Let Us And Let's.

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I am not very sure about the difference between these two words.

I looked them up in Oxford and Longman Dic, they also said that let's is the simplified form of let us, but they neither told me the usage of let us.

I think:

Let us go to the restaurant=Please allow us to go to the restaurant.

Let's go to the restaurant=Shall we go to the restaurant.

Is that right?

Thx for ur help.
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Not really a difference. It's essentially an idiomatic suggestion, nowadays. "Let us" would literally translate as "allow us", but it more closely means "we should/should we/how about we/why don't we".

Saying "let us" only differs from "let's" in nuance. They mean exactly the same thing. "Let us" might be a bit more formal because it's not a contraction. Or it might be used emphatically. "Let's" is fast, it's easy to say, more suited for fast speech or making a 'quick suggestion'. Also, it can take away emphasis from the "us" and so cause the emphasis to be placed on the verb: "Let's GO".

They're completely interchangeable, though. Say whichever your prefer, no one should 'bat an eye-lash'. Rather, it's unlikely anyone will care, even if they notice.
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Diego SimãoI think:

Let us go to the restaurant=Please allow us to go to the restaurant. Yes, 'let us' is frequently used as a request for permission, but to make it a polite request, the word 'please' (for example) would usually precede 'let us'. When used to request permission, 'us' would not normally include the person whose permission is being requested.

Let's go to the restaurant=Shall we go to the restaurant. Yes, this would always be understood as a suggestion, and the contracted word 'us' would include the person or people you're speaking to.

Is that right?

Thx for ur help.
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Thank you, man.

But if I have this question in exams, they will be deemed to be different. I think that's the fault of the Languages Education in china.
 Yankee's reply was promoted to an answer.
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Let´s is the same as let us.... the first is the contracted form.
You can say:
Let us stay home tonight or
let´s stay home tonight

I hope to have helped solve your doubts.....
I guess you are right Emotion: sad let`s ) includes both the speaker and the hearer . It`s inclusive . It expresses suggestion. Notice the tag question : let`s play tennis, shall we ? but ( let us ) is confined to the speaker only : it`s exclusive . It expresses permission . Notice the tag question :let us go to the cinema, will you ?Am I correct ?????
AnonymousI guess you are right let`s ) includes both the speaker and the hearer . It`s inclusive . It expresses suggestion. Notice the tag question : let`s play tennis, shall we ? but ( let us ) is confined to the speaker only : it`s exclusive . It expresses permission . Notice the tag question :let us go to the cinema, will you ?Am I correct ?
Both readings of 'Let us' are possible (see the verified posts above).

T.S. Eliot wrote this:

LET us go then, You and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:
Streets that follow like a tedious argument
Of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming question ...
Oh, do not ask, "What is it?"
Let us go and make our visit.
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sure you are right
l dont think if they are different let s is the contraction of let us
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