liggen

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch liggen, from Old Dutch liggen, from Proto-West Germanic *liggjan, from Proto-Germanic *ligjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɪɣə(n)/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: lig‧gen
• Rhymes: -ɪɣən

Verb

liggen

1. (intransitive) to lie; to be lying down
2. (intransitive, often of place names) to be, to be placed or located

   Er ligt een hoop rommel op zolder.

   There is a lot of rubbish in the attic.

   Kun je me zeggen waar Geldrop ligt?

   Could you tell me where Geldrop is (located)?

3. (auxiliary, with te) Forms a continuous aspect. Although it carries an implication of lying, this is vague and is not emphasized.

   Je biefstuk ligt daar koud te worden.

   Your steak is (lying) there getting cold.

Inflection

Inflection of liggen (strong class 5)
infinitive	liggen
past singular	lag
past participle	gelegen
infinitive	liggen
gerund	liggen n
	present tense	past tense
1st person singular	lig	lag
2nd person sing. (jij)	ligt	lag
2nd person sing. (u)	ligt	lag
2nd person sing. (gij)	ligt	laagt
3rd person singular	ligt	lag
plural	liggen	lagen
subjunctive sing.1	ligge	lage
subjunctive plur.1	liggen	lagen
imperative sing.	lig
imperative plur.1	ligt
participles	liggend	gelegen
1) Archaic.

Synonyms

• (be): staan, zitten, zijn

Derived terms

• aanliggen
• in de lijn der verwachting liggen
• ligging

Descendants

• Afrikaans: lê (merger with leggen)
• Jersey Dutch: lixxe
• Negerhollands: lee, lei, lej
• → Papiamentu: lèg

Dutch Low Saxon

Etymology

From Old Saxon liggian, from Proto-West Germanic *liggjan, from Proto-Germanic *ligjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ-. Compare Dutch liggen, German liegen, West Frisian lizze, English lie, Danish ligge.

Verb

liggen (past singular lag, past participle elaegen, auxiliary verb waen or hebben)

1. (intransitive) to lie; to be lying down
2. (intransitive, often of place names) to be, to be placed or located

   Daor ligt mien hoes an de waterkaante.

   There is my house by the coast.

   Kön i'j mi'j wiezen waor Bersenbrügge ligt?

   Could you tell me where Bersenbrücke is (located)?

3. (intransitive, with te and another verb) Used as an alternative to waen + an 't to form a continuous aspect.

   Jan veel in t water. No ligt ziene klere te dreugen op t grösveld.

   Jan fell in the water. Now his clothes are lying on the lawn to dry.

German Low German

Alternative forms

• ligge

Etymology

From Old Saxon liggian, from Proto-West Germanic *liggjan, from Proto-Germanic *ligjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ-.

Compare Dutch liggen, German liegen, West Frisian lizze, English lie, Danish ligge.

Verb

liggen (past singular leeg, past participle legen, auxiliary verb hebben)

1. (intransitive) to lie; to be lying down
2. (intransitive, often of place names) to be, to be placed or located

   Dor liggt mien Huus an't Waterkant.

   There is my house by the coast.

   Köönt ji mi wiesen wor Bersenbrügge liggt?

   Could you tell me where Bersenbrücke is (located)?

3. (intransitive, with te and another verb) Used as an alternative to wesen + an't to form a continuous aspect.

   Dien Eten liggt dor kold to warren.

   Your food is (lying) there getting cold.

Usage notes

• The grammar given is for a Northern Low Saxon dialect that merges all close-mid and mid-open vowels and elides syllable-final schwa. As such it is lacking distinctions that are grammatical in other dialects.

Conjugation

Conjugation of liggen (class 2 strong verb)

infinitive	liggen
indicative	present	preterite
1st person singular	ligg	leeg
2nd person singular	liggs(t)	leegs(t)
3rd person singular	ligg(t)	leeg
plural	liggt, liggen	legen
imperative	present	—
singular	ligg
plural	liggt
participle	present	past
	liggen	(e)legen, gelegen
Note: This conjugation is one of many; neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects.

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch liggen, from Proto-West Germanic *liggjan, from Proto-Germanic *ligjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ-.

Verb

liggen

1. to lie, be lying horizontal
2. to lie, to have been placed
3. to be located, to be present
4. to live (in a place)

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

• Dutch: liggen
  • Afrikaans: lê (merger with leggen)
  • Jersey Dutch: lixxe
  • Negerhollands: lee, lei, lej
  • → Papiamentu: lèg
• Limburgish: ligke

Further reading

• “licghen (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “liggen”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *liggjan, from Proto-Germanic *ligjaną.

Verb

liggen

1. to lie
2. to be located

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

• Middle Dutch: liggen
  • Dutch: liggen
    • Afrikaans: lê (merger with leggen)
    • Jersey Dutch: lixxe
    • Negerhollands: lee, lei, lej
    • → Papiamentu: lèg
  • Limburgish: ligke

Further reading

• “liggen”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Swedish

Noun

liggen

1. definite nominative plural of ligg