lay?

Question

Hi!I wonder if this sentence is correct. Would be wonderful if anybody out there could help me!"I lay myself on the bed."Is the word lay used correct?

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

"Lay" is a transitive verb -- it requires an object -- something that is laid (down) by the person doing the laying.

If you are the one doing the laying and "what is being laid down" is yourself, then you can "lay yourself down."

I am going to lie down on the bed versus I am going to lay myelf down on the bed -- the latter sounds rather colloquial compared to the former.

The situation gets more confusing because of how "to lie" and "to lay" form the past.

I lie down every day for a nap at 3.
I lay down yesterday for a nap.
I have lain here for hours.

versus:

I lay my keys on the top of the piano every day when I come home.
Yeterday, I laid my keys on the kitchen counter instead and couldn't find them for hours.
I have laid my keys in other places, but the piano works best.

So, the short answer is that "lay" is the past of "to lie," but when you have the object "myself," the verb you should use is "to lay" -- and that would make the right formation "I laid myself on the bed."

This is just one person's opinion, and I'm heavily influenced by "Southern" so others may have another idea about how to use "lie" and "lay" when used with the object "myself."

Bokeh · Answer

To lie
Past:lay
Perfect: to have lain
Gerund: lying
Meaning: to be in a rest position

To lay
Past: laid
Perfect: to have laid
Gerund: laying
Meaning: to cause an object to take on a rest position

Philip · Answer

Now I lay me down to sleep; I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

CalifJim · Answer

It's correct as a present tense habitual action, but highly unusual.
That thought is more usually expressed as I lie on the bed (every day when I come home from work), or, if you insist on something reflexive in nature, I throw myself on the bed!

It is incorrect as a past tense.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you all! Now I think I got it right!

/t.

Anonymous · Answer

BokehTo lie
Meaning: to be in a rest position

To lay
Meaning: to cause an object to take on a rest position

After years that's the first explanation of this that makes sense to me.

Antiknck · Answer

I recently had a discussion about lie/lay/lie. So, let me revise this a bit, ah.

Lie/Lay/Lie - There are two meanings of "lie": 1) "to rest," and 2) "to be dishonest." "Lay" means "to put something down."

To make this easier, compare "lie" (#1) with "sit." It refers to a person (e.g, "I think I'll go lie down," "Why don't you go lie down?"). Likewise, a person "sits," not "sets," down.

Now, compare "lay" with "set," which will be followed by an object (e.g, "please, lay that book on the table," and "please, set that book on the table"). Note that "myself," "yourself," etc., are considered objects (bodies).

What might confuse you, though, is that the past tense of "lie" is "lay." For example, "I lay down for a nap, earlier this afternoon." The participle is "have/has/had lain."

The past tense of "lay" is "laid" (e.g, "he laid the book on the table a minute ago"). The participle is also "have/has/had laid."

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While your sentence is grammatically correct, I agree with Grammar Geek; "I am going to lie down on the bed" (or something to that effect) would probably sound much better.

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