When to use the word lie or lay

Ah, the English language. It’s so full of extraneous words and rules, so fantastically complicated and confusing. One of the many common misunderstandings within the language stems from the confusion between lay and lie.

Lay is a verb that commonly means “to put or set (something) down.” Lie is a verb that commonly means “to be in or to assume a horizontal position” (or “to make an untrue statement,” but we’ll focus on the first definition). In other words, lay takes a direct object, and lie does not. As for the misconceptions, well, when you look at the two verbs next to each other in different tenses, it becomes a bit more obvious where the confusion is.

Present Tense:

Lay: Unfold the blanket and lay it on the floor.

Lie: This stuff is pretty groundbreaking; you’d better lie down.

The difference in the present tense seems pretty straightforward: lay refers to a direct object, and lie does not.

Past Tense:

Lay: She laid the blanket on the floor when I asked.

Lie: I felt sick, so I lay down.

Here’s where it can get a bit tricky. The past tense of lie is lay, but not because there is any overlap between the two verbs. So when you say, “I lay down for a nap,” you’re actually using the verb lie, not lay, despite the way it sounds.

Past Participle:

Lay: She had laid the blanket down before she left.

Lie: I had lain there for some time before getting up.

The past participle form is a common point of error. Many people accidentally use lied instead of lain when using the verb lie. Lied, however, refers to the past tense and past participle form of lie when it means “to make an untrue statement.”

Present participle:

Lay: I was laying the blanket on the floor.

Lie: You’ve been lying down all day.

Your best bet when deciding between the variations of lay and lie is to determine whether there is a direct object you’re referring to. If there is, then use a form of lay. A classroom trick is to say the word out loud. The a sound in lay sounds like the one in place, as in to place an object, whereas the i sound in lie sounds like the one in recline, as in to recline on a sofa. Another way to help you decide is to remember that lay will typically be followed by a noun, whereas lie will typically be followed by the word down.

The difference between the verbs lay and lie is one of English’s most confusing questions. Both words involve something or someone in a horizontal position, but where the two words differ has to do with who or what is horizontal—the subject of the verb (the one doing the action) or the direct object (the person or thing being acted upon).

In this article, we’ll break down the difference between lay and lie, including the past tense forms and the phrases lay down, lie down, and laid down.

Is it lay or lie?

Lay commonly means to put or place someone or something down, as in Lay the bags on the table or I’m going to lay the baby in the crib. It’s a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object (I lay the quilt on the couch; I lay the book on the table).

The sense of lie that’s often confused with lay means to be in or get into a reclining position—to recline, as in I just want to lie in bed for a few more minutes. Lie is an intransitive verb, meaning it does not take a direct object (Don’t just lie there).

Lay is typically used with an object, meaning someone or something is getting laid down by someone. In contrast, lie is something you do yourself without any other recipients of the action.

If you’re the one lying comfortably on your back, you want the verb lie, but if you can replace the verb with place or put (Please place the book on the table), then use the verb lay (Please lay the book on the table).

Though this use is considered nonstandard, lay is commonly used to mean the same thing as this sense of lie, as in I just want to lay in bed for a few more minutes. Although lay and lie are often used interchangeably in casual communication, it’s best to use them in the standard way in more formal contexts.

lay vs. lie in the past tense

The confusion between the two words is largely due to the fact that lay is also the irregular past tense form of this sense of lie, as in I lay in bed yesterday morning wishing I could go back to sleep. (In contrast, when lie is used as a verb meaning to tell an untruth, its past tense is simply lied.) The past tense of lay as in “put or place down” is laid, as in I laid the bags on the table.

The past participle forms of lay and lie (formed with the helping verb have) are also distinct: lay maintains its past form laid, but lie becomes lain, as in I have lain in bed for the past three hours.

The continuous tense (-ing form) of this sense of lie is the same as the untruth sense: lying, as in I am lying in bed right now.

Review all the different verb tenses right here!

lay down or lie down

The “recline” sense of lie is commonly used in the verb phrase lie down, as in I was feeling tired so I decided to lie down. Using the phrase lay down to mean the same thing is considered nonstandard, but it’s also very common.

Lay down is also used as a verb phrase meaning about the same thing as lay, as in You can lay down your bags on the table (or You can lay your bags down on the table).

How to use lay and lie in a sentence

A good way to remember which one to use is to think about whether you could replace the word with put or recline. If you can replace it with put, you want to use lay, as in Please lay (put) the bags on the table. If you could replace the word with recline, you want to use lie, as in I just want to lie (recline) in bed for a few more minutes.

Here are several examples of how to correctly use lay and lie in a sentence, including examples with the past tense of both words and both used in the same sentence.

• I feel like I need to lie down.
• Please lay the groceries on the table.
• I laid all of the ingredients on the kitchen counter last night.
• Last night, I lay awake for hours, unable to sleep.
• I had just lain down to go to sleep when I heard a noise.
• I’m looking for the book that you had laid on the bedside table.
• He said he was just going to lay the blanket on the grass and lie on it for a few minutes, but he lied. After he laid the blanket down, he lay on it for two hours!

laying vs. lying

The difference between lay and lie also applies to their present participles and gerund forms (also created by adding -ing). 

Laying is the present participle of lay. Like lay, laying is a transitive verb and typically uses a direct object. For example:

• I saw her laying flowers on the grave this morning. 
• He had been laying the blankets on the beds the last time I saw him. 

Lying is the present participle of lie, including in the sense of telling an untruth. Like lie, lying is an intransitive verb and doesn’t typically use a direct object. For example: 

• My dog Buttercup was lying in her bed all afternoon.
• The sultana has been lying on a bed of luxurious cushions while talking to her advisors. 

When used as gerunds, laying and lying again typically follow the same rules as before. Laying is typically used with an object while lying is not. 

• Laying your head down may help with your migraines. 
• My little brother loves lying around all day and doing nothing.

Ever been corrected—or corrected someone else—for saying «I’m going to lay down»? In either case, your dictionary forgives you. It’s true that the correct way to make that statement is to say «I’m going to lie down,» but it’s also true that lay and lie have been tripping up English speakers for 700 years, and no one should be judged harshly for being among the confused. The pair is a doozy.

Difference Between Lay and Lie

If you’re someone who cares about writing and speaking carefully, though, your communication skills will be strengthened by keeping them straight, so here’s the lowdown. Lay’s most common meaning is «to place (something or someone) down in a flat position.» Lie’s corresponding meaning is «to be in a flat position on a surface.» Lay is transitive; it requires that the verb have an object; there has to be a thing or person being placed: Lay it down. Lie, on the other hand, is intransitive. It’s for something or someone moving on their own or something that’s already in position: You can lie down there. You can lie there all day.

Other Tenses of Lay and Lie

That’s tricky enough, but it gets worse when we start using the words beyond the present tense. Here’s lay in context in tenses that show its principal forms:

I was told to lay the book down.

I laid it down as I have laid other books down.

I am laying more books down now.

And here’s lie:

I was told to lie down.

I lay down.

I have lain here since.

I’m still lying here.

Did you catch that? For lay, we have lay, laid, have laid, laying; for lie, we have lie, lay, have lain, lying. And then there’s the unrelated verb meaning «to tell an untruth.» That lie goes lie, lied, have lied, lying.

Yes, it’s really that complicated. We apologize. If you want to brush up, focus on the present and past tenses—they do most of the work by far—and check the dictionary entries when you’re not sure.

And even if you are certain, give the other guy a break.

Even though they do not look that similar, lay and lie are two commonly confused words. The problem comes with the fact that lay and lie have similar meanings, but it becomes even more complicated as lay is also used as the past tense of lie.

Let’s break down the meanings of the two words lay and lie first. Note that both words have other meanings than what is described below. These will be discussed later.

Lie is a verb meaning to recline in a horizontal position on a supporting device like a bed or couch.

• I want to lie on my bed every Sunday morning reading the paper before the kids wake up.
• Chickie, the cat with four white socks, likes to lie on the couch nearest the fire.

Lay is a verb meaning to put something down on a surface, normally in a gentle manner.

• If you would kindly lay the books out on the table, I will choose which one we will discuss.
• Would you like me to lay out your clothes for dinner, dear?

As you can probably can tell from the examples above, lay requires a direct object for the action of the verb (the book, the clothes), whereas lie does not, i.e. it is you (or the cat, the dog, your brother etc.) doing the action of lying down. Therefore, to lie (down) is something you do, whereas you lay down something (not yourself). Lay is a transitive verb, meaning it needs a direct object for the action to be performed on. Lie is an intransitive verb, meaning it does not take a direct object for the action.

Here’s where it gets complicated: Lay is the past tense of lie. So, those examples of lie above could use lay in the past tense:

• I lay on my bed for hours last Sunday morning.
• The cat lay on the couch nearest the fire all day.

Confusion reigns, therefore, when people confuse the tenses of lie:

• I like to lay on my bed. Incorrect.
• I like to lie on my bed before dinner. Correct.
• Mom is going to lie down as she is feeling unwell. Correct.
• Mom is going to lay down as she is feeling unwell. Incorrect.
• We lie on the couch for hours yesterday. Incorrect.
• We lay on the couch for hours yesterday. Correct.
• He lied on the floor. Incorrect.
• He lay on the floor this morning before the school bus came. Correct.

What Does Lay Mean?

Lay is used as a verb to mean to set something down gently or carefully, allowing it to assume a resting place on a surface. In this sense, lay is an action that you do with something, i.e. place something down. It needs a direct object (a book, a blanket etc.) for the action to be performed on. As we have seen above, lay is also the past tense of lie.

Other meanings of lay:

Lay can be used formally and colloquially in the following ways:

As a verb meaning to produce an egg from a body:

• An ostrich can lay up to 60 eggs a year.
• The turtles return to the beach to lay eggs each summer.

As a verb meaning to express:

• Did the police lay out the charges against the subject?
• Wilson will lay the blame on the teachers rather than accept he made a mistake.

As a verb meaning to bet on something:

• I’d happily lay a bet on that horse.

When to Use Lay + Original Examples

We use lay as a verb when we are talking about putting something down on to another surface. Remember that lay is a verb, so it is subject to conjugation and agreement.

• We lay an extra blanket on the bed when it’s cold.
• Lay those papers neatly out on my desk, would you?
• He lays all his cards out on the floor to get a better look at them.
• She laid a wreath on her father’s grave yesterday.
• Do not lay a hand on me. *

*To lay a hand is a phrasal verb, meaning to hit or to strike violently.

We also use lay as the past tense of lie:

• You lay in bed all day yesterday. Were you ill?
• The books lay on top of each other until I reorganized them.

Phrases using lay:

• He will be laid to rest in the military cemetery. Meaning: to bury.
• The business was doing so poorly, the whole team got laid off. Meaning: to be fired.

What does Lie Mean?

Lie means to assume a horizontal position as a resting place. For example, if we go to sleep, we will need to lie (down) on a bed first. In this sense, lie is something that you or something else does – the verb does not need a direct object.

Other meanings of lie:

As a verb to meaning to tell an untruth or say something that is false: It is important to note that this version of the word lie has a different past tense – lied.

• Joey’s mom told him not to lie but rather to always tell the truth.
• If you lie to me again, I won’t believe you.
• Joanna always lies when she is caught cheating.
• George lied about his age; he was actually born in 1947.
• Sally and Dan never lied about leaving the lights on. It turned out to be true.

As a verb to meaning to stay or be in a certain state:

• Since the war, the building lies in ruins.
• The entire neighbourhood lies in disrepair.

As a verb meaning to reside in or to be found in:

• The answer lies in how she asked the question.

As a verb meaning to be in a specific direction, location or position:

• Portland lies right on the coast.
• Denmark lies 50 miles north of here.

When to Use Lie + Original Examples

We use lie as a verb when we are talking about ourselves or something else assuming a horizontal position on a couch, bed, floor etc. Remember that lie is a verb, so it is subjected to conjugation and agreement.

• The cat and dog often lie together on my bed.
• Dad likes to lie on the sofa when watching football.
• Mom lies on top of her towel on the beach.
• If you’re sick, lie down.
• She lies on the floor when doing yoga.

We also use lie as a verb, meaning to speak falsely or create untruths:

• The President lied about his tax returns.
• Little children often tell lies about silly things.
• I won’t ever lie again.

Phrases using lie:

• At this point of the season, it’s hard to know what will lie ahead. Meaning: to happen.
• Let sleeping dogs lie. Meaning: to leave things where they are (metaphorically), especially if taking an action would create a controversy.
• The fact that I hurt Marc’s feelings is going to lie heavy on me. Meaning: to make me uncomfortable.

Laying vs. Lying

Just as lie and lay can get mixed up, there is a confusion with the present participles, laying and lying. The same rules apply as lie and lay, with lying being an action you perform and laying an action you preform on something.

• Ed was lying on the floor, kicking his legs in the air like a toddler.
• Jeannie was laying the books down, one by one on the table.
• I am lying down until this terrible cold goes away.
• We took care of Mom, gently laying a blanket over her when she fell asleep.

Phrases using lying:

• The police were lying in wait so they could catch the suspect in action. Meaning: to hide, waiting to catch or attack someone.
• Caren, you shouldn’t take that lying down. Meaning: accept an insult without argument or reaction.

Tips to Remember the Difference

Lay and lie are so commonly confused that there are many tricks to help you remember the difference. As we have seen, lie is an intransitive verb meaning recline horizontally. Lay is an intransitive verb meaning to place something down to rest.

Therefore:

• Lie = rec-LI-ne
• Lay = p-LA-ce

If you focus on li in recline and la in place, this should help you remember the difference between lie and lay.

Summary

Lay and lie, lying and laying are easily confused. The key to knowing the difference between them is through understanding transitive and intransitive verbs. Some verbs are both intransitive and transitive. However, lie is always an intransitive verb.

An intransitive verb – go, lie, die, arrive – never takes a direct object. The subject of the sentence alone does the going, lying, dying etc. An intransitive verb will make sense without a direct object.

A transitive verb – buy, lay, leave, take – must take a direct object. We think of it in the sense that the action is transferred on to something – the direct object. The subject of the sentence must buy, leave, lay or take something, or else the sentence won’t make sense.

Consider these final examples of lay and lie:

• She lies on the bed.
• She lays her head on the bed.

Both of those examples are in the present tense. Notice that in the second example, her head is the direct object of lays. Even though we are speaking of a body party, lay is correct because you are placing something (your head) on the bed. In the first example, there is no direct object, so lie is correct.

And in the past tense of lie and lay:

• She lies on the bed now, but yesterday she lay there.
• She lays her head on the bed now, but yesterday, she laid it there.