German · Everyday Verbs
"to put" in German: legen
legen
Note: also: stellen, tun
To put something down flat in German is legen. Say Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch and Leg die Schlüssel hierhin. Stellen is for standing things upright.
Desk
Ich lege die Unterlagen auf den Schreibtisch.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce legen
Say it
LAY-gen
/ˈleːɡn̩/
LAY-gen. Long e as in day; soft -en.
"to put" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| legen | to lay / put (flat) Horizontal placement. | Horizontal placement. |
| ich lege / du legst / er legt | I/you/he put(s) Present. | Present. |
| gelegt | laid / put Past participle. | Past participle. |
| stellen | to put upright Bottles, bags that stand. | Bottles, bags that stand. |
How to use legen in real life
- 1Desk
Ich lege die Unterlagen auf den Schreibtisch.
I'm putting the documents on the desk.
Ich lege.
- 2Keys
Legst du die Schlüssel immer hierhin?
Do you always put the keys here?
Legst.
- 3Done
Das Handtuch ist schon aufs Bett gelegt.
The towel is already put on the bed.
Gelegt.
Mistakes English speakers make with legen
Incorrect: Ich stelle das Buch flach auf den Tisch. (when teaching legen)
Correct: Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch.
Flat placement uses legen; stellen is for upright.
Incorrect: Ich habe das Buch geleg.
Correct: Ich habe das Buch gelegt.
Past participle is gelegt.
Good to know
German separates legen (lay flat), stellen (stand upright), and setzen (set/seat). Learners mix them for years — focus on flat vs upright.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Unpacking groceries
ChatPal
Wohin lege ich das Brot?
Where should I put the bread?
You
Leg es bitte auf den Tisch.
Please put it on the table.
ChatPal
Und die Butter? Auch legen?
And the butter? Also lay/put it?
You
Ja, leg sie neben das Brot.
Yes, put it next to the bread.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to put" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to put" in German
Legen vs stellen?
Legen = flat; stellen = upright.
Conjugation?
Ich lege, du legst, er legt…
Past participle?
Gelegt.
Set someone down?
Often setzen for seating a person.
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- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
