English grammar
Lie or lay? Lie down, lay the table
Use lie (lay, lain) and lay (laid, laid) correctly.
From the scene Go and lay down!
In short
Lie down needs no object; lay needs one: lay the table. Careful: the past of lie is lay.
- rest flat (not "lay down") go and lie down
- past of lie yesterday I lay down
- put down: needs an object lay the table
- lay + object lay the flowers
- past of lie, again you lay on my sofa
Your turn
Which one goes with past of lie?
Options: lay the table · yesterday I lay down · go and lie down
Show answer
past of lie → yesterday I lay down
How it works
Lie (lay, lain) means to rest flat and takes no object: go and lie down.
Good to know
Lay (laid, laid) means to put something down, so it needs an object: lay the table, lay the flowers on the chair.
Good to know
The trap is that the past of lie is lay: yesterday I lay down. "Go and lay down" is very common in speech, but careful writing keeps lie.
rest flat (not "lay down") go and lie down
past of lie yesterday I lay down
Nuria
A different "lie". Today I lie down; yesterday I lay down.
Es otro «lie». Hoy me tumbo: «I lie down»; ayer me tumbé: «I lay down».
Your turn
What fills the gap?
A different "lie". Today I lie down; (blank).
Options: yesterday I lay down · go and lie down · lay the table
Show answer
Nuria
A different "lie". Today I lie down; yesterday I lay down.
Es otro «lie». Hoy me tumbo: «I lie down»; ayer me tumbé: «I lay down».
put down: needs an object lay the table
Elena
Of course I do. And now, you two: up you get and lay the table!
Claro que sé. Y ahora, vosotros dos: ¡levantaos y poned la mesa!
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Of course I do. And now, you two: up you get and (blank)!
Options: lay the table · go and lie down · yesterday I lay down
Show answer
Elena
Of course I do. And now, you two: up you get and lay the table!
Claro que sé. Y ahora, vosotros dos: ¡levantaos y poned la mesa!
lay + object lay the flowers
Elena
Next line: "Lay the flowers on the bride's chair!"
Siguiente frase: «¡Poned las flores en la silla de la novia!»
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Next line: "(blank) on the bride's chair!"
Options: Go and lie down · Yesterday I lay down · Lay the flowers
Show answer
Elena
Next line: "Lay the flowers on the bride's chair!"
Siguiente frase: «¡Poned las flores en la silla de la novia!»
past of lie, again you lay on my sofa
Elena
You, hush. You lay on my sofa all last week.
Tú, a callar. Te pasaste toda la semana pasada tumbado en mi sofá.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
You, hush. (blank) all last week.
Options: Go and lie down · Yesterday I lay down · You lay on my sofa
Show answer
Elena
You, hush. You lay on my sofa all last week.
Tú, a callar. Te pasaste toda la semana pasada tumbado en mi sofá.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| rest flat (not "lay down") | go and lie down |
|---|---|
| past of lie | yesterday I lay down |
| put down: needs an object | lay the table |
| lay + object | lay the flowers |
| past of lie, again | you lay on my sofa |
More lines from the story
- JaviIn Colombia nobody lies down: we dance till breakfast.En Colombia nadie se tumba: bailamos hasta el desayuno.
- ElenaIn my house, they're the same thing.En mi casa, es lo mismo.