The German verb "liegen" means "to lie, to be located" in English. It is an irregular verb. Below you'll find the complete conjugation tables for "liegen" across all 7 tenses. New to German verbs? Start with the German verb guide.
Jump to a tense
How to Conjugate "liegen" in the Present Tense
Präsens Actions happening now or regularly| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | liege |
| du | you (informal) | liegst |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | liegt |
| wir | we | liegen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | liegt |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | liegen |
Er liegt am Strand in der Sonne.
He is lying on the beach in the sun.
How to Conjugate "liegen" in the Simple Past Tense
Präteritum Completed actions in the past (written/formal)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | lag |
| du | you (informal) | lagst |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | lag |
| wir | we | lagen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | lagt |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | lagen |
Er lag auf dem Sofa und schlief.
He lay on the sofa and slept.
Want to actually remember these?
VerbPal drills "liegen" in real German sentences using spaced repetition.
Try VerbPal FreeHow to Conjugate "liegen" in the Present Perfect Tense
Perfekt Completed actions (spoken German)| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | habe gelegen |
| du | you (informal) | hast gelegen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hat gelegen |
| wir | we | haben gelegen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | habt gelegen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | haben gelegen |
Er hat im Bett gelegen.
He has lain in bed.
How to Conjugate "liegen" in the Past Perfect Tense
Plusquamperfekt Actions completed before another past action| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | hatte gelegen |
| du | you (informal) | hattest gelegen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | hatte gelegen |
| wir | we | hatten gelegen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | hattet gelegen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | hatten gelegen |
Er war im Gras gelegen.
He had lain in the grass.
How to Conjugate "liegen" in the Future Tense
Futur I Actions that will happen| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | werde liegen |
| du | you (informal) | wirst liegen |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | wird liegen |
| wir | we | werden liegen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | werdet liegen |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | werden liegen |
Er wird am Strand liegen.
He will lie on the beach.
How to Conjugate "liegen" in the Subjunctive I Tense
Konjunktiv I Indirect speech and formal requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | liege |
| du | you (informal) | liegest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | liege |
| wir | we | liegen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | lieget |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | liegen |
Er sagt, er liege im Bett.
He says he is lying in bed.
How to Conjugate "liegen" in the Subjunctive II Tense
Konjunktiv II Hypothetical situations and polite requests| Person | English | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | läge |
| du | you (informal) | lägest |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it | läge |
| wir | we | lägen |
| ihr | you all (informal) | läget |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) | lägen |
Er läge gern im Bett morgen.
He would like to lie in bed tomorrow.
Frequently Asked Questions About "liegen"
Is "liegen" regular or irregular in German?
"Liegen" is an irregular German verb, meaning its conjugation does not follow standard patterns and must be memorized individually.
What does "liegen" mean in English?
The German verb "liegen" means "to lie, to be located" in English.
How do you conjugate "liegen" in the present tense?
In the present tense (Präsens): ich → liege, du → liegst, er/sie/es → liegt, wir → liegen, ihr → liegt, sie/Sie → liegen.
How many tenses does "liegen" have in German?
"Liegen" is conjugated across 7 tenses in German: Present, Simple Past, Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future, Subjunctive I, Subjunctive II.
Master German verbs for real
Stop memorizing tables. Start speaking with confidence.
Try VerbPal Free3-day free trial. Cancel anytime.