Lay in Different Languages
Discover 'Lay' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'lay' is a versatile English verb, with a range of meanings that make it a fascinating word to explore in different languages. At its core, 'lay' generally means to put or place something down gently. However, its significance goes beyond this simple definition, as it can also refer to the act of presenting something for consideration or to describe the arrangement of something.
Culturally, the word 'lay' has been used in various expressions, proverbs, and idioms across the world. For instance, the phrase 'lay of the land' is an American English idiom that refers to becoming familiar with one's surroundings. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, the phrase 'lay a ghost' is used to describe the act of coming to terms with a past trauma or mistake.
Given its cultural importance and widespread use, it's no surprise that people might want to know the translation of 'lay' in different languages. Below is a list of translations of 'lay' in various languages, highlighting the word's significance and cultural importance across the globe.
Lay
Lay in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | lê | ||
| The Afrikaans word "lê" can also mean "to stay or remain". | |||
| Amharic | ተኛ | ||
| "ተኛ" in Amharic refers to something that is on the ground, but can also be used figuratively to describe a person's position or status. | |||
| Hausa | sa | ||
| The Hausa word "sa" also means "put" or "place". | |||
| Igbo | dina | ||
| The Igbo word "dina" also means "to spread out" or "to put down." | |||
| Malagasy | laika | ||
| The Malagasy word “laika” can also refer to a small, thin mat or a type of reed mat with fine designs. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | kuyala | ||
| In Nyanja, the word "kuyala" can also mean "to lie down", "to rest", or "to sleep" | |||
| Shona | rara | ||
| The word "rara" can also refer to "spread" in the sense of "spread news". | |||
| Somali | jiifsaday | ||
| "Jiifsaday" also means "to lie" (as in, "to tell a falsehood") or "to be prone to" (as in, "be prone to illness") | |||
| Sesotho | beha | ||
| In Sesotho, the word "beha" also means "to place". | |||
| Swahili | kuweka | ||
| The Swahili word "kuweka" comes from the Proto-Bantu root "-*weka" meaning "to put, place, or deposit". | |||
| Xhosa | ulele | ||
| The Xhosa word 'ulele' can also mean 'to be exhausted' or 'to be lazy'. | |||
| Yoruba | dubulẹ | ||
| Dubule is related to the Yorùbá word "idubulẹ", used in the context of a sacrifice to the Oríṣà. | |||
| Zulu | ukubeka | ||
| The term originates from the act of placing a blanket on the floor to sleep. | |||
| Bambara | ka da | ||
| Ewe | ɖoe anyi | ||
| Kinyarwanda | lay | ||
| Lingala | kotya | ||
| Luganda | -biika | ||
| Sepedi | ala | ||
| Twi (Akan) | to hɔ | ||
Lay in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | بسط | ||
| The word "بسط" is also used to mean "to spread" or "to enlarge". Its etymology, "بسط", means "to cover" in Arabic | |||
| Hebrew | לְהַנִיחַ | ||
| The word "לְהַנִיחַ" originates from the root "נ-ו-ח" which refers to rest, peace, and comfort. | |||
| Pashto | کېښودل | ||
| The word "کېښودل" in Pashto also means "to insert" or "to place into something". | |||
| Arabic | بسط | ||
| The word "بسط" is also used to mean "to spread" or "to enlarge". Its etymology, "بسط", means "to cover" in Arabic | |||
Lay in Western European Languages
| Albanian | vë | ||
| The word "vë" can also mean "to put" or "to place" in Albanian. | |||
| Basque | etzan | ||
| The word "etzan" is also used in the Basque language to mean "to lie down" or "to stretch out." | |||
| Catalan | estirar | ||
| The word "estirar" comes from the Latin "extendere", meaning "to stretch out or make longer" and can also mean "to stretch out or extend the arms or legs." | |||
| Croatian | položiti | ||
| Položiti in Croatian can mean to lay something down, to give testimony, or to pass an exam. | |||
| Danish | lægge | ||
| The Danish word "lægge" can also mean "to put", "to place", "to add", or "to bet". | |||
| Dutch | leggen | ||
| The word "leggen" in Dutch has an alternate meaning of "to place" or "to put". | |||
| English | lay | ||
| The word 'lay' can also mean 'to put or place something in a particular position'. | |||
| French | allonger | ||
| The word "allonger" in French also means "to lengthen" or "to extend." | |||
| Frisian | lizze | ||
| The word "lizze" in Frisian can also refer to a type of flatbread or a lazy person. | |||
| Galician | laico | ||
| In the Galician language, "laico" can also refer to a secular person or a member of the laity. | |||
| German | legen | ||
| Legen translates to "lie" or "put" in German and comes from the Old High German word "legen," meaning "to put down or place." | |||
| Icelandic | lá | ||
| The Icelandic word "lá" can also refer to a type of traditional Icelandic bread made from oatmeal and whey. | |||
| Irish | tuata | ||
| "Tuata" derives from Old Irish "tudchatha" (to fall), which also survives in "tuitim" (to fall) and "tuathal" (a tumble). | |||
| Italian | posare | ||
| The Italian word "posare" also means "to pose", as in for a photograph. | |||
| Luxembourgish | leeën | ||
| "Lay" is the present tense of "to lie" in English, but in Luxembourgish it means "to go" or "to put". | |||
| Maltese | jistabbilixxu | ||
| "Jistabbilixxu" (lay) is derived from the Latin "stabilis," meaning "stable" or "firm." | |||
| Norwegian | legge | ||
| The Norwegian word “legge”, which can mean “to lay”, shares its etymological roots and meaning with “lag” (“law”) and “ligge” (“to lie down”). | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | deitar | ||
| The verb "deitar" in Portuguese has multiple meanings, including "to lie down", "to throw", and "to pour". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | laigh | ||
| The Scottish Gaelic word "laigh" also means "low" and can be used in the context of elevation. | |||
| Spanish | laico | ||
| Laico comes from the Late Latin term *laicus* and originally referred to the people of the Christian community who did not belong to the clergy. | |||
| Swedish | lägga | ||
| The verb lägga also translates as 'put', and it can be used with several prepositions, such as 'i' (in) or 'på' (on). | |||
| Welsh | lleyg | ||
| The Welsh word 'lleyg' ('lay') also means 'secular' or 'non-clerical'. | |||
Lay in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | ляжаць | ||
| The word "ляжаць" can also mean "to lie" or "to be situated" in Belarusian. | |||
| Bosnian | ležao | ||
| "Ležao" can also be used to describe a lazy or idle person. | |||
| Bulgarian | лежеше | ||
| The Bulgarian word "лежеше" (lay) comes from the Proto-Slavic word "ležati" (to lie down) and is still used in most Slavic languages. | |||
| Czech | položit | ||
| The verb položit can also mean to put something on a surface. | |||
| Estonian | lama | ||
| In addition to its meaning as a verb meaning "to lay," the word "lama" can be used as a noun to refer to a Tibetan Buddhist monk or as an interjection expressing disappointment. | |||
| Finnish | makaa | ||
| The Finnish word "makaa" also has additional meanings, including "to rest" or "to lie in repose." | |||
| Hungarian | világi | ||
| In a rare occurrence, the Hungarian word "világi" has separate etymologies for its literal and ecclesiastical meanings. | |||
| Latvian | gulēja | ||
| The Latvian word "gulēja" can also mean "to sleep" or "to rest". | |||
| Lithuanian | gulėti | ||
| The word "gulėti" can also mean "to lie" in the sense of "to tell a lie". | |||
| Macedonian | лежеше | ||
| The word "лежеше" is derived from the Proto-Slavic root "*legti", meaning "to lie down". | |||
| Polish | kłaść | ||
| In Polish, the word "kłaść" also means "to put" or "to place", and is related to the word "położyć" which means "to put down". | |||
| Romanian | întinde | ||
| Întinde can also mean "spread" or "stretch", and comes from Latin "extendere" with the same meaning. | |||
| Russian | заложить | ||
| "Закладывать" in Russian has various meanings, including "to pawn", "to plan", "to embed", and "to build the foundation of a building". | |||
| Serbian | лежао | ||
| The noun "лежај" also means "a den" or "a lair" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | ležať | ||
| The word 'ležať' in Slovak can also mean 'to rest' in the sense of taking a nap or break. | |||
| Slovenian | ležati | ||
| The stem of the word 'ležati' (lay) in Slovenian also appears in the name of a mythical Slavic serpent. | |||
| Ukrainian | лежати | ||
| The word "лежати" can also mean "to be sick" or "to be in bed" in Ukrainian. | |||
Lay in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পাড়া | ||
| In Bengali, the word "পাড়া" can also mean "side" or "edge", and is related to the Sanskrit word "Pada", meaning "foot". | |||
| Gujarati | મૂકે છે | ||
| "મૂકે છે" (lay) derives from the Latin word "locare" (to place), akin to "locus" (place)".} | |||
| Hindi | लेज़ | ||
| The word "लेज़" (lay) in Hindi is derived from the Sanskrit word "ली" (li), meaning "to adhere" or "to stick". In addition, "लेज़" can also mean "leisure" or "laziness", possibly due to its association with reclining or lying down. | |||
| Kannada | ಲೇ | ||
| The word "ಲೇ" can also mean "to pour" or "to spread out" in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | കിടന്നു | ||
| "കിടന്നു" can also mean to be in a position of rest, or to be situated in a particular place. | |||
| Marathi | घालणे | ||
| The Marathi word "घालणे" can also refer to the act of putting on clothes, or to the act of pouring a liquid. | |||
| Nepali | बिछ्याउनु | ||
| "बिछ्याउनु" also means to spread out, to set, or to arrange (as in bedding, a table, etc.). | |||
| Punjabi | ਰੱਖਣ | ||
| In Punjabi, the verb "ਰੱਖਣ" also means "to store" or "to place" something in a specific location. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ගිහි | ||
| The word “ගිහි” also means an adult householder or a lay person who has assumed responsibilities within a family, such as a husband or father. | |||
| Tamil | லே | ||
| The Tamil word "லே" can also refer to the sound made by a bird, or an expression of surprise. | |||
| Telugu | లే | ||
| The Telugu word "లే" (lay) can also mean "to write" or "to inscribe". | |||
| Urdu | لیٹ | ||
| The Urdu word "لیٹ" can also refer to a layer of material or a musical note. | |||
Lay in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 躺下 | ||
| "躺下" can also mean 'to be idle' or 'to be indolent'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 躺下 | ||
| 躺下 originally meant to place, or to lie oneself down, then gradually adopted the meaning of being recumbent. | |||
| Japanese | 横たわっていた | ||
| 横たわっていた derives from 橫 (よこ) meaning "sideways" and 垂 (た)る meaning "to hang down. It can also carry the nuance of a "casual or lazy" way of doing something. | |||
| Korean | 위치 | ||
| The word "위치" (lay) in Korean can also refer to the act of placing or arranging something in a place. | |||
| Mongolian | хэвтэх | ||
| The Mongolian word "хэвтэх" can also mean "to place" or "to put". | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | lay | ||
| In Burmese, "lay" can also mean "to speak or recite". | |||
Lay in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | awam | ||
| Etymology: possibly from Malay, ultimately from Sanskrit "āgama" meaning "scripture" | |||
| Javanese | lay | ||
| In Javanese, | |||
| Khmer | ដាក់ | ||
| Another meaning of ដាក់ is 'to place something on top of something else, such as a book on a table or a cup on a shelf'. | |||
| Lao | ວາງ | ||
| The word "ວາງ" can also mean "to leave" or "to put down" in Lao. | |||
| Malay | berbaring | ||
| The word "berbaring" in Malay can also mean "to lie down" or "to recline". | |||
| Thai | นอน | ||
| The word "นอน" also carries the alternate meaning of "to sleep", a semantic shift likely stemming from the action of laying oneself down to rest. | |||
| Vietnamese | đặt nằm | ||
| The Vietnamese word "đặt nằm" can also mean "to place something flat" or "to put something to rest." | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | maglatag | ||
Lay in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | yatmaq | ||
| The verb "yatmaq" in Azerbaijani also means "to fit" or "to be appropriate." | |||
| Kazakh | жату | ||
| The term "жату" in Kazakh holds dual meanings, encompassing "to spread" and "to cover" depending on context. | |||
| Kyrgyz | жатуу | ||
| "Жатуу" (to cut) derives from the same Proto-Turkic root as the German "schneiden" (to cut). | |||
| Tajik | хобидан | ||
| Lay (khob) is also used in the sense of “place” and “put” in Persian. | |||
| Turkmen | ýat | ||
| Uzbek | yotish | ||
| The Uzbek word "yotish" also has the meaning of "to come"} | |||
| Uyghur | lay | ||
Lay in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | moe | ||
| Moe in Hawaiian can also mean "heavy" and is used to emphasize the weight of an object or an event. | |||
| Maori | takoto | ||
| In Maori, "takoto" can also refer to a resting place or a grave. | |||
| Samoan | taoto | ||
| The word "taoto" can also denote "to stay" or "reside" (i.e., "taoto le fale": staying in the house). | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | humiga | ||
| The Tagalog word "humiga" can also mean "to recline" or "to lie down." | |||
Lay in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | uchaña | ||
| Guarani | moĩ | ||
Lay in International Languages
| Esperanto | kuŝi | ||
| "Kuŝi" also means "to be tired" or "to lie down" in Esperanto. | |||
| Latin | lay | ||
| The Latin word "lay" can also mean "to sing" or "to play an instrument". | |||
Lay in Others Languages
| Greek | λαϊκός | ||
| The word 'λαϊκός' is derived from the Greek word 'λαός', meaning 'people', and can also refer to a person who is not a member of the clergy. | |||
| Hmong | nteg | ||
| The word "nteg" can also mean "to put down" or "to set down" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | danîn | ||
| 'Danîn' also means 'to put' and 'to place' in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | yatmak | ||
| The Turkish word "yatmak" also has the meanings of "to go to bed" and "to lie down." | |||
| Xhosa | ulele | ||
| The Xhosa word 'ulele' can also mean 'to be exhausted' or 'to be lazy'. | |||
| Yiddish | לייגן | ||
| "לייגן" can also mean "to tell" or "to speak" in Yiddish. | |||
| Zulu | ukubeka | ||
| The term originates from the act of placing a blanket on the floor to sleep. | |||
| Assamese | স্থাপন কৰা | ||
| Aymara | uchaña | ||
| Bhojpuri | नकशा | ||
| Dhivehi | އޮތުން | ||
| Dogri | रक्खना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | maglatag | ||
| Guarani | moĩ | ||
| Ilocano | iyaplag | ||
| Krio | le | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | پاڵ کەوتن | ||
| Maithili | नीचू रखनाइ | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯇꯨꯝꯕ | ||
| Mizo | nghat | ||
| Oromo | lafa kaa'uu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଶଯ୍ୟା | ||
| Quechua | churay | ||
| Sanskrit | स्थापयति | ||
| Tatar | ята | ||
| Tigrinya | ምውዳቕ | ||
| Tsonga | andlala | ||