The verb to lay · Conjugation
Present Simple of lay
The answer: lay / lays
A1
Habits, routines and facts that are always true.
Quick answer
The Present Simple of the verb to lay is lay / lays.
Example: I lay the book on the table.
Full conjugation in the Present Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | lay |
| You | lay |
| He / She / It | lays |
| We | lay |
| You (pl.) | lay |
| They | lay |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. He lay ❌
With he, she and it, the verb needs -s (or -es): he lays, she lays, it lays. The same is true with one person or one thing: my friend lays. This is one of the most common mistakes in English, so always check your verb.
2. Does she lays? ❌
In a question or a negative, the -s is already on does. So the main verb goes back to the base form: Does she lay…?, She doesn't lay. Never put -s on both verbs.
3. I am lay ❌
In the Present Simple, do not put am, is or are before the verb. Say I lay, not I am lay. A very common example is I am agree: say I agree. Use am, is or are with an -ing form (I am reading) or with an adjective (I am happy).
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate lay in the Present Simple?+
Use lay with I, you, we and they. Use lays with he, she and it: I lay, she lays. Only he, she and it change. All the other forms are the same.
When do you use the Present Simple of lay?+
Use the Present Simple for habits, routines and facts that are always true. Common signal words are every day, usually, often, always, sometimes and never. For an action happening right now, use the Present Continuous: I am laying.
Is it he lay or he lays?+
It is he lays. In the Present Simple, he, she and it add -s to the verb: lay → lays. This -s is easy to forget. Check the verb every time the subject is he, she, it or one person (my friend lays).
How do you make the negative of lay in the Present Simple?+
Use don't (do not) or doesn't (does not) + the base form. The base form is the verb with no to and no -s: I don't lay, she doesn't lay. English needs do or does to make the negative: I not lay is wrong.
How do you make a question with lay in the Present Simple?+
Use do or does + the subject + the base form: Do you lay…?, Does she lay…? After does, the main verb has no -s. In a short answer, repeat do or does: Yes, I do. / No, she doesn't.
Related pages: lay Present Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/lay/present
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.
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