Conjugating Liegen (to Lie, Recline, Rest) in All Tenses

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By
Hyde Flippo
German Expert
    Hyde Flippo taught the German language for 28 years at high school and college levels and published several books on the German language and culture.
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    Hyde Flippo
    Updated February 24, 2020

    The German verb liegen (to lie, recline, rest) conjugated in all its tenses and moods.

    The irregular/strong verb liegen (lie) is often confused with the regular/weak verb legen (lay). If you have trouble with "lie" and "lay" in English, learning the German distinction will help you! See the legen chart below with examples of the contrast with liegen.

    Principal Parts: liegen • lag • gelegen
    Imperative (Commands): (du) Lieg(e)! | (ihr) Liegt! | Liegen Sie!

    LIEGEN
    Present Tense - Präsens

    DEUTSCH ENGLISH
    ich liege I lie/recline
    I am lying/reclining
    du liegst you lie/recline
    you are lying/reclining
    er liegt

    sie liegt

    es liegt    		 he lies/reclines
    he is lying/reclining
    she lies/reclines
    she is lying/reclining
    it lies/reclines
    it is lying/reclining
    wir liegen we lie/recline
    we are lying/reclining
    ihr liegt you (guys) lie/recline
    you (guys) are lying/reclining
    sie liegen they lie/recline
    they are lying/reclining
    Sie liegen you lie/recline
    you are lying/reclining

    Examples:
    Er liegt immer noch im Bett. He's still lying in bed.
    München liegt in Bayern. Munich lies [is] in Bavaria.
    Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. The book is (lying) on the table.

    LEGEN
    Present Tense - Präsens

    DEUTSCH ENGLISH
    ich lege I lay/put
    I am laying/putting
    du legst you lay/put
    you are laying/putting
    er legt

    sie legt

    es legt    		 he lays/puts
    he is laying/putting
    she lays/puts
    she is laying/putting
    it lays/puts
    it is laying/putting
    wir legen we lay/put
    we are laying/putting
    ihr legt you (guys) lay/put
    you (guys) are laying/putting
    sie legen they lay/put
    they are laying/putting
    Sie legen you lay/put
    you are laying/putting

    Examples:
    Leg das Buch auf den Tisch. Put [lay] the book on the table.

    LEGEN
    Past Tenses - Präsens

    Simple Past Compound Past
    ich/er legte
    I/he laid/put    		 ich habe gelegt
    I laid/put
    I have laid/put
    wir/Sie/sie legten
    we/you/they laid/put    		 wir haben gelegt
    we laid/put
    we have laid/put

    LIEGEN
    Simple Past Tense - Imperfekt

    DEUTSCH ENGLISH
    ich lag I laid/reclined
    du lagst you laid/reclined
    er lag
    sie lag
    es lag    		 he laid/reclined
    she laid/reclined
    it laid/reclined
    wir lagen we laid/reclined
    ihr lagt you (guys) laid/reclined
    sie lagen they laid/reclined
    Sie lagen you laid/reclined

    LIEGEN
    Compound Past Tense (Pres. Perfect) - Perfekt

    DEUTSCH ENGLISH
    ich habe gelegen I have laid/reclined
    I laid/reclined
    du hast gelegen you have laid/reclined
    you laid/reclined
    er hat gelegen

    sie hat gelegen

    es hat gelegen    		 he has laid/reclined
    he laid/reclined
    she has laid/reclined
    she laid/reclined
    it has laid/reclined
    it laid/reclined
    wir haben gelegen we have laid/reclined
    we laid/reclined
    ihr habt gelegen you (guys) have laid/reclined
    you laid/reclined
    sie haben gelegen they have laid/reclined
    they laid/reclined
    Sie haben gelegen you have laid/reclined
    you laid/reclined

    LIEGEN
    Past Perfect Tense - Plusquamperfekt

    DEUTSCH ENGLISH
    ich hatte gelegen I had laid/reclined
    du hattest gelegen you had laid/reclined
    er hatte gelegen
    sie hatte gelegen
    es hatte gelegen    		 he had laid/reclined
    she had laid/reclined
    it had laid/reclined
    wir hatten gelegen we had laid/reclined
    ihr hattet gelegen you (guys) had laid/reclined
    sie hatten gelegen they had laid/reclined
    Sie hatten gelegen you had laid/reclined