But the correct usage is simple: Lay needs an object—something being laid—while lie cannot have an object. For example, you might lay a book on the table, lay a sweater on the bed, or lay a child in her crib.

The verb lay is transitive. You lay something on the table. The verb lie is intransitive. You lie on the table when you are operated upon. The confusion comes because the past tense of lie is lay: He lay on the table for two hours …

Lay is a verb that commonly means “to put or set (something) down.”. Lie is a verb that commonly means “to be in or to assume a horizontal position” (or “to make an untrue statement,” but we’ll focus on the first definition). In other …

Lay has an a sound like the a sound in place (i.e., to place or lay something on the ground). Lie has an i sound that sounds like the i sound in recline (i.e., to recline or lie down on the sofa).