лежать vs полежать

lezhát' vs polezhát' — lie/be lying vs lie down for a while

What it really means

Лежать describes a position or continuing state. Полежать means to spend a limited time lying down, often to rest; it does not mean the change into that position.

Examples in natural speech

Книга лежит на столе.
The book is lying on the table.
Я хочу немного полежать.
I want to lie down for a while.
Он лежал с температурой.
He was lying down with a fever.
Полежи десять минут.
Lie down for ten minutes.
Снег лежит до апреля.
Snow remains on the ground until April.

Common mistakes

Do not use полежать for the moment someone assumes a reclining position: лечь means “to lie down.” Use лежать for where something is or for an unbounded condition, and полежать when a short rest has a natural endpoint.

Memory tip

Link по- with a brief restorative pause: полежать десять минут, then get up and continue.

Frequently asked questions

Why is «Книга полежала на столе» unusual?

It is possible only when the book lay there for a bounded interval relevant to what happened next. To state its location, use Книга лежит на столе.

What is the difference between лечь and полежать?

Лечь focuses on getting into a lying position; полежать focuses on spending some time in that position. You can say Ляг и полежи.

Can полежать be used as advice during illness?

Yes. Полежи дома пару дней advises a limited period of bed rest, whereas лежать describes the continuing condition.

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