Russian - Hanging, Lying, Standing
Don't leave me hanging
Below are concordance lines for verbs лежать, стоять, and висеть. In English, in this context, you would normally use the verb "to be" but Russian specifies whether the object is standing vertically, laying horizontally, or hanging. Can you identify the subjects of the sentences below and guess what each of the three verbs means?
Are you surprised that certain objects 'stand' or 'hang' as opposed to 'lie'? Which ones?
Let us check our hypotheses!
Книга лежит, стоит или висит?
Карандаш лежит, стоит или висит?
Ковёр лежит, стоит или висит?
Take a look at this other set of concordance lines and pay special attention to the subject of the sentence. What is the difference between the usage of стоит-стоят and висит-висят? Can you predict what the difference between лежит-лежат is from this pattern?
Let us check our hypotheses!
Журналы --- лежит или лежат?
Кресло --- стоит или стоят?
Картины --- висит или висят?
Давайте попробуем!
Now let us apply what we have learned to describe the room in the image below. Remember, for every object, you need to choose the appropriate verb:
стоит-стоят (stands-stand)
висит-висят (hangs-hang)
лежит-лежат (lies-lie)
Structure your sentences as follows:
В гостиной + verb + subject.
Below are concordance lines for поставить, положить, повесить (in the past tense). In English, all three verbs mean "to put": in a standing (vertical) position, in a horizontal position, and in a hanging position.
From the examples below, which objects do you поставить? Which - положить? Which - повесить?
What case would you expect these objects to be in? Do any of the examples provided below deviate from the appropriate case usage? How can we correct them?
Давайте попробуем!
Imagine that you furnished the room that you see on the left.
How would you explain what you put in the room to someone who has not seen it yet? Use verbs поставил(а), положил(а), повесил(а).