Verbs of Position


	The Verbs of Position

Have you ever had trouble with the verbs lie and lay or sit and set in English? The position of an object, the position which it assumes (moves to) and the position it currently occupies are distinguished in many languages by a set of verbs which differ in form. Russian is no exception. The table below show the relation between the transitive and intransitive verbs of position in Russian.

The Forms of Positional Verbs
Transitive Verbs	Intransitive Verbs
Transitive Verbs	Куда? Where to?	Где? Where at?
сажай-\|посади- seat	сади-ся\|сяд- (сесть) sit down сел- села- сели	(по)сиде- sit
клад- (класть)\|положи- lay down, put (laying)	ложи-ся\|ляг- (лечь) lie down лёг- легла- легли	(по)лежа- lie
(по)стави- put (standing)	вста(ва)й-\|встан- stand up встать- встал- встала	(по)стоя- stand
вешай-\|повеси- hang up	(по)вис[ну]- hang, be hanging	(по)висе- hang

The transitive verbs are verbs of motion which indicate the position in which the direct object is placed. The intransitive verbs distinguish between verbs of motion, which indicate the position that the subject assumes, and the regular verbs, which indicate the position which the subject currently occupies.

Keep in mind that these verbs strictly mean "come to be in X position" where 'X' can be "sitting", "lying", "standing" or "hanging".

Although сади-ся|сяд- is glossed above as "sit down", if someone is lying down to begin with, Он вдруг сел means "He suddently sat up."
Another point: вста(ва)й-|встан- means "come to be in a standing position"" only if the previous position is lying or sitting. If someone move from a standing position in one place to another standing position elsewhere, Russians use the verb станови-ся|стан-, e.g. Он стал в очередь "He got in line".

Примеры : Some Examples

The following examples combine regular usage of the verbs of position with idiomatic usage. Practice them until you get the "feel" of them.

Я сажаю Машу в кресло.	I'm seating Masha in the armchair.
Посадили Ваню в тюрьму.	They put Vanya in prison.
Маша села в кресло.	Masha sat down in the armchair.
Ваня сядет на 5-й автобус.	Vanya will take bus No. 5.
Маша сидит в кресле.	Masha is sitting in the armchair.
Ваня сидит в тюрьме.	Vanya is serving time.
Ваня сидит в автобусе.	Vanya is on the bus.

Маша кладёт своё пальто на диван.	Masha puts her overcoat on the couch.
Положили Ваню в больницу.	They put Vanya in the hospital.
Маша всегда ложится на диван.	Masha always lies down on the couch.
Ваня лёг в больницу.	Vanya was admitted to the hospital.
Маша лежит на диване.	Masha is lying on the couch.
Ваня лежал в больнице.	Vanya has been in the hospital.

Маша ставит все книги на полку.	Masha puts all the books on the shelf.
Ваня поставил машину на паркинг.	Vanya parked his car in the parking.
Маша встала рано утром.	Masha got up early in the morning.
Ваня встаёт с кровати.	Vanya is getting out of bed.
Маша стоит в очереди.	Masha is standing in line.
Машина стояла на площади.	The car was parked in the square.

Маша вешает пальто на вешалку.	Masha hangs her coat on the coatrack.
Ваня повесил джинсы на стул.	Vanya hung his jeans on the chair.
Пальто Маши висит на вешалке.	Masha's coat is hanging on the coatrack.
Картина висела над столом.	The picture hung above the desk.
Его галстук повис на стуле.	His tie (falling) caught on the chair.

Interactive Exercises

In the following exercises the nonmotional verb of position is to be replaced by either the transitive or intransitive motional verb of position.

Fill in the Blank with the Correct Form of the Motional Verb of Positon		Push	Correct?
Motion-No Motion Positional Verb Exercises

Образец
Он всегда сидит на своём месте. He is always in his place.	Он всегда на своё место. He always sits down in the right place.

После работы она лежала на диване. After work she laid on the couch.	После работы она на диван. After work she lay down on the couch.
Он всегда сидит в том же месте. He always sits in the same place.	Сегодня он на то же место. Today he sat down in the same place.
Картина висит на стене. The picture is hanging on the wall.	Он картину на стену. He hung the picture on the wall..
Вчера она легла спать в полночь. Last night she went to bet at midnight.	Она всегда в полночь. She always goes to bed at midnight.

Она стоит в очереди? Is she standing in line?	Да, она только что туда. Yes, she just got in.
Миша встал сегодня в час. Misha got up today at one.	Миша всегда в час. Misha always gets up at one.
Почему книга стоит на этой полке? Why is the book on that shelf?	Ариадна её туда. Ariadna put it there.
Почему газета лежит на полу? Why is the paper on the floor?	Это Ариадна её туда. It was Ariadna who put it there.
Почему флаг висит на двери? Why is there a flag hanging on the door?	Это Ариадна его туда. It was Ariadna who put it there.
Почему Ариадна сидит в этом автобусе? Why is Ariadna on this bus?	Она не в тот автобус. She took (caught) the wrong bus.
Почему Ариадна сидит в углу? Why is Ariadna in the corner?	Мать её туда . Her mother put her there.


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