TO LIE and TO LAY

[David Stephensen]

Many native English speakers get this wrong, so you can be one step ahead of them!

----------------------
To LIE (deitar-se)

This is an intransitive verb. It never has a object.

I (you we they) LIE today
He (she) LIES today
Right now they are LYING
Yesterday everybody LAY
Since yesterday everybody has LAIN

We often use the word 'down' with 'to lie'. I was tired, so I lay down.

---------------------
To LAY (deitar (algo))

This is a transitive verb. It ALWAYS has an object.

I (you we they) LAY something today
He (she) LAYS something today
Right now everybody is LAYING something
Yesterday everybody LAID something
Since yesterday everybody has LAID something

I laid the shirt on the table.
I am tired, so I will lay my body down.
The chicken is laying an egg.

---------------------
To LIE (mentir)

This is an intransitive verb. It never has a object.

I (you we they) LIE today
He (she) LIES today
Right now everybody is LYING
Yesterday everybody LIED
Since yesterday everybody has LIED

Se você gostou deste blog, por favor, pleeeeeease me deixe um comentário, para me encorajar escrever mais blogs. Você também pode visitar meu site sobre aprender inglês: http://www.english4brazilians.com

free hit counters

[Christopher O'Donnell]

This is really useful, even to native speakers!! Seriously, this is an important thing to get right.

Thanks David!!

[Fabio Campani]

nice grammar!!
but in the first paragraph..the meaning is MENTIR too??
i didnt undertand it...
anybody can help me??

tkx

[Erica]

If I'm not wrong. to Lie means "Mentir" too, but here the means is "Deitar"

am I right?

Take Care!

[Anjalluz]

very good david!!!
I was laid out