Norwegian word choices
Legge vs ligge: put it down or say where it is?
Use legge for placing something down and ligge for its position. Practise the distinction with a book and a phone.
The difference
Legge describes placing something down. Ligge describes its position. Compare Jeg legger boka på bordet (I put the book on the table) with Boka ligger på bordet (The book is lying on the table).
Notice who or what is doing the action: you place the book, while the book lies there. The examples use legge and ligge after modal verbs such as kan and skal, where Norwegian uses the infinitive without å.
Present tense: legger and ligger
In a sentence without a modal verb, use the present-tense forms legger and ligger: Jeg legger telefonen her, then Telefonen ligger her.
This exercise uses objects placed flat. Norwegian also uses other position verbs, such as sette/stå and sitte. Not every English “put” translates as legge, and some object descriptions follow convention rather than shape alone.
See NTNU’s explanation of placement and position for the grammar behind this distinction. The situations and practice notes here are original examples.
Four practice notes
Keep these examples for learning
Each note keeps the situation, sentence and explanation together.
Prompt
You are holding a book and ask whether you may put it flat on the table. Kan jeg ___ boka på bordet? Choose legge or ligge.
Answer and explanation
Kan jeg legge boka på bordet? Can I put the book on the table? You are placing the book somewhere. Use legge for that action.
Prompt
The book is already on the table. You say it can stay in that position. Boka kan ___ på bordet. Choose legge or ligge.
Answer and explanation
Boka kan ligge på bordet. The book can lie on the table. The book is the subject, and the sentence describes its position. Use ligge; nobody is placing it now.
Prompt
You have your phone in your hand and are about to place it flat beside your computer. Jeg skal ___ telefonen ved siden av datamaskinen. Choose legge or ligge.
Answer and explanation
Jeg skal legge telefonen ved siden av datamaskinen. I am going to put the phone beside the computer. You are about to place the phone somewhere. Use legge after skal.
Prompt
Your phone is already beside the computer. You say there is no need to move it. Telefonen kan ___ der. Choose legge or ligge.
Answer and explanation
Telefonen kan ligge der. The phone can lie there. This describes the phone remaining in a position. Use ligge, not the verb for placing it there.