Fundo Escuro                                                                                     Lay and Lie

 
Lay - Laid -Laid          Lie- Lay - Lain

Have you noticed any resemblance between the two verbs?
How to see the difference?
The problem is that these are the most deceitful of irregular verbs.
We frequently misuse them due to some similarities. Despite the error the word may sound ok to most of us.So, how to use Lay and Lie in a correct way? It's easy...look:
Lay means to put someone or something down. Lay is a trasitive verb and a direct object must come before it. A direct objcet is what receivves the action of the verb,ok?
Examples:
Joe laid the sleeping baby in the crib. (Joe laid who in the crib? the baby(direct object).

Lie means to rest or recline. Lie is an intransitive verb, that is, no object must follow it.
To choose the right form you must understand the simple present,simple past,and past participle of these forms (we are geting a bit technical isn't it?)
Examples:
➝ use present simple when the action hapens usualy or is happening now.
Joe always lays is coat on the couch.(the action usualy happens)
Jack lies in the midle of the crowd looking at the sky.(action is happening now)

➝ use simple past to say that something happened and finished in the past.
Jennifer laid her siter's letter in the mail box (laid= simple past of lay)
Yesterday Joe just laid in bed all day long.(lay-simple past of lie).

➝ use the past participle forms when you have an auxiliary verb forming the tense.
Barbecue is finishing.Joe has just laid the last peace of meat on the grill.
Mary, a very shy girl, has lain at the corner of the class all the time.

Note: it's important to remenber that the form of the simple past of Lie is the same as  the simple present of Lay. This common form causes most of the confusion.
Looks a bit complicated? It's only a matter of atention and practise.
Remeber that you speak portuguese, as your native language, wich is much more complicated,ok?
Just in time...
➝ To Lie/Lied/Lied (regular verb) means to say something that is not true - but it is another question,ok? 

 

Lay - Laid - Laid                  Lie - Lay - Lain

Percebeu alguma semelhança entre os dois verbos?
Como ver a diferença?
O problema é que estes dois verbos são os mais enganosos dos verbos irregulares.
Frequentemente usamos errado devido a algumas semelhanças. Apesar de errada a palavra pode soar ok para a maioria de nós.Então como usar Lay a Lie corretamente? -E facil...veja:
Lay significa largar alguma coisa ou alguem. Lay é verbo transitivo e deve ser seguido por um objeto direto que é o que, ou quem , recebe a ação do verbo,ok?
Exemplos:
Joe laid the sleeping baby in the crib. Quem Joe largou? O bebe - objeto direto.(Joe largou o bebe adormecido no berço)
Lay the gun down said the policeman

Lie significa descansar ou reclinar.Lie é intransitivo e não precisa ser seguido de objeto.
Para escolher a forma certa você deve entender o simple present,simple past e past participle destas formas(estamos ficando um tanto técnicos, não é?)

 Exemplos:
➝ use o present simple quando a ação acontece usualmente ou esta acontecendo agora.
Joe always lays is coat on the couch.(a ação acontece usualmente)
Jack lies in the midle of the crowd looking at the sky.(a ação esta ocorrendo agora)
➝ use o simple past para dizer que algo aconteceu e terminou no passado.
Jennifer laid her sister's letter in the mail box(laid= simple past of Lay)
Yesterday Joe just laid in bed all day long(lay = simple past of Lie)

➝ use o past participle quando existe um verbo auxiliar formando o tempo verbal.
Barbecue is finishing.Joe has just laid the last peace of meat on the grill.
Mary, a very shy girl, has lain at the corner of the class all the time.

Nota: é importante notar que o simple past de Lie tem a mesma forma do simple present de Lay. Esta forma em comum é a causa de maioria das confusões.
Parece um tanto complicado? É só questão de atenção e alguma pratica.
Lembre-se que você fala Português como sua lingua nativa,que é muito mais complicado que o Ingles.
Bem a tempo...
➝ To Lie/Lied/Lied (regular verb) significa mentir - mas isso é outra questão, certo? 


Formas Basicas

Infinitive

Simple Present

Simple Past

Past Participle

Present Participle

To Lay

Lay(s)

Laid

Laid

Laying

To Lie

Lie(s)

Lay

Lain

Lying