Lie vs. Lay

Lie is an intransitive verb meaning to recline or rest, and takes no object (confusingly, its own past tense is 'lay'), while lay is a transitive verb meaning to put something down, and always takes an object (its past tense is 'laid'). A quick tip: you lie down yourself, but you lay something else down.

What's the difference between lie and lay?

Lie is an intransitive verb meaning to recline or rest, and takes no object (confusingly, its own past tense is 'lay').

Lay is a transitive verb meaning to put something down, and always takes an object (its past tense is 'laid').

A quick tip: you lie down yourself, but you lay something else down.

Synonyms: browse synonyms for lie and synonyms for lay.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between lie and lay?

Lie is an intransitive verb meaning to recline or rest, and takes no object (confusingly, its own past tense is 'lay'), while lay is a transitive verb meaning to put something down, and always takes an object (its past tense is 'laid'). A quick tip: you lie down yourself, but you lay something else down.

When do you use lie?

Lie is an intransitive verb meaning to recline or rest, and takes no object (confusingly, its own past tense is 'lay').

When do you use lay?

Lay is a transitive verb meaning to put something down, and always takes an object (its past tense is 'laid').

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