Lay vs Lie
What's the difference?
This is one of the trickiest pairs in English — partly because the past tense of "lie" is spelled "lay." Start with the present tense and one clear rule.
Quick answer
You lay something down (it needs an object); you lie down yourself (no object). Watch out: "lay" is also the past tense of "lie."
Compared side by side
(verb) to put something down. It needs an object — you lay something.
- “Lay the book on the table.”
- “She laid the baby in the crib.”
- “Please lay your coats on the bed.”
(verb) to rest or recline. It has no object — you lie down.
- “I need to lie down for a while.”
- “The dog lies by the fire every evening.”
- “The village lies in a quiet valley.”
How to remember it
pLAce = LAy (you place an object somewhere). recLIne = LIe (you recline yourself).
Frequently asked
Why is this pair so hard?
Because the past tense of "lie" is "lay" — the same spelling as the present of the other verb. "Yesterday I lay down" (past of lie) versus "I lay the book down" (present of lay).
What about "laid" and "lain"?
"Laid" is the past of lay ("she laid it down"). "Lain" is the past participle of lie ("he had lain there for hours"). When in doubt, ask whether there's an object being put down.