lie
gb/lˈaɪ/ us/lˈaɪ/
A1
English
~ 500
hazudik, fekszik, lefekszik, hazugság, van, rejlik
VERB
A2
1
hazudik
A2
Usage pattern:
to lie to [someone] about [something]
She lied to her boss about why she was late.
Hazudott a főnökének arról, hogy miért késett.
He lied when he said he had finished the report.
Hazudott, amikor azt mondta, hogy befejezte a jelentést.
I can't believe you lied about your age.
They lied to the police during the investigation.
Learner examples
He lied to his teacher about his homework.
Hazudott a tanárának a házi feladatáról.
She lied about where she was last night.
Hazudott arról, hogy hol volt tegnap este.
I lied to my friend because I was scared.
They lied to get more money.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'lie' meaning 'to say something false' with 'lay', which means 'to put something down'.
Meaning
Say something untrue to mislead
Collocations
lie to someone
|lie about something
|tell a lie
|caught lying
|blatant lie
Synonyms
fib (A mild or small lie, often about something unimportant.)
|
deceive (Broader term meaning to make someone believe something untrue; not always by direct lying.)
Antonyms
tell the truth (To state facts accurately without deception.)
Themes
communication
|ethics
|daily life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To say something that is not true so that another person will believe it.
To make a statement that one knows is not true, with the purpose of deceiving someone.
VERB
A1
2
Usage pattern:
to lie [somewhere]
She lay on the sofa watching TV.
A kanapén feküdt, és tévét nézett.
The cat likes to lie in the sun.
A macska szeret a napon feküdni.
He lay down for a nap after lunch.
Please lie still while I take your photo.
Learner examples
I like to lie on the grass.
Szeretek a fűben feküdni.
He lies in bed every morning.
Minden reggel az ágyban fekszik.
She lies on the sofa after work.
The baby lies in the crib.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse 'lie' in this sense with 'lay', which is used when placing something down.
Meaning
Be in a flat position
Collocations
lie down
|lie in bed
|lie on the floor
|lie flat
|lie still
Synonyms
recline (More formal; often suggests leaning back in comfort.)
Antonyms
stand (To be upright on one's feet instead of lying down.)
Themes
daily life
|physical actions
|body
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To be on a surface with your body flat or mostly flat.
To be in or move into a horizontal position on a surface, usually for rest or sleep.
NOUN
A2
3
hazugság
A2
That was a complete lie, and you know it.
Ez szemenszedett hazugság volt, és ezt te is tudod.
He told a lie to protect his friend.
Hazugságot mondott, hogy megvédje a barátját.
Her story was full of lies.
I don't believe you—it's a lie.
Learner examples
That is a lie.
Ez hazugság.
He told a lie about his age.
Hazugságot mondott a koráról.
She said a lie to her parents.
This story is a lie.
Meaning
An untrue statement made to deceive
Collocations
tell a lie
|big lie
|white lie
|caught in a lie
|pack of lies
Synonyms
falsehood (Slightly more formal; refers broadly to untrue statements.)
Antonyms
truth (A statement that is accurate and factual.)
Themes
communication
|ethics
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Something that a person says that is not true, to make another person believe it.
A statement that is not true, made with the intention of deceiving someone.
VERB
B1
4
Usage pattern:
[something] lies [somewhere]
The village lies in a valley between two hills.
A falu két domb között, egy völgyben fekszik.
The problem lies in our lack of planning.
A probléma abban rejlik, hogy nem terveztünk megfelelően.
The city lies on the coast.
The answer lies within this book.
Learner examples
The school lies next to the park.
Az iskola a park mellett van.
The town lies near the river.
A város a folyó közelében fekszik.
The answer lies in this text.
The farm lies far from here.
Meaning
Be situated or located somewhere
Collocations
lie ahead
|lie in ruins
|lie at the heart of
|lie near
|lie between
Synonyms
rest (Can mean to be located somewhere; more formal and less common in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
stand elsewhere (Not located in the specified place; opposite in context-specific sense.)
Themes
geography
|descriptions
|space
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To be in a place or situation.
To be situated, found, or placed in a particular position or state.
Grammar
Dictionary form
lie
IPA
GB/lˈaɪ/
US/lˈaɪ/
Syllables & stress
lie (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (lie)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: lie
- Plural: lies
Verb
- Base: lie
- 3rd Person Singular: lies
- Present Participle: lying
- Past: lay, lied
- Past Participle: lied
Word family
Expressions
caught in a lie
1/kˈɔt ˈɪn ə lˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
Found out telling an untruth
When someone finds out you said something that is not true.
Examples
- He was caught in a lie during the interview.
- She got caught in a lie about her past work experience.
lie ahead
1/lˈaɪ əhˈɛd/
fixed phrase
Exist in the future ahead of someone/something
To be going to happen in the future.
Examples
- We don't know what challenges lie ahead.
- A long journey lies ahead of us.
lie down
1/lˈaɪ dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
Move into flat resting position
To put your body flat on a surface so you can rest or sleep.
Examples
- I need to lie down for a few minutes.
- He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.
white lie
1/wˈaɪt lˈaɪ/
idiom
A harmless or small lie to be polite or kind
A small lie you tell so someone will not feel bad or be hurt.
Examples
- She told a white lie about liking the gift.
- I told her a white lie about liking her cooking so she wouldn’t feel bad.
- Sometimes it's kinder to tell a white lie than the truth.
- Sometimes a white lie can save a friendship.