ALLOW, LET or PERMIT?

Allow and permit are similar, but permit is more formal and often used in passive form.
Allow somebody to do something.
Something is (not) permitted.

Let means the same, but has no passive form. Allow should be used instead.
Let somebody do something.
Somebody is allowed to do something.

• allow (allowed, allowed)

We don't allow smoking inside.
Smoking is not allowed.
I won't allow you to go out tonight.
• permit (permitted, permitted)
The party will be next Sunday, weather permitting.
Smoking is not permitted.
• let (let, let)
She didn't let his son go out that night.
Let him go to the party!
He was allowed to go to the party.

• Related words and expressions

allowance: money given to somebody regularly.
make allowance for something: consider something when making a decision.
permit: official document that gives somebody the right to do something.
permission: act of allowing somebody to do something.

For French speakers, there is the temptation to use "permit" in the sense of enabling someone to do
something, as in "permettre à". This is generally not possible, as "permit" in English refers to
"permission", or "authorisation".

In many cases, the French "permettre à" can be translated at "enable (someone) to".