KAPITEL 5 | TEIL 7 - TWO DIFFERENT KIND OF VERBS |
		A. Verbs of movement: " sit down", "to lay down", "to put", "to hang" (Die Verben "setzen", "legen", "stellen", "hängen" ) English uses the verb "to put" to indicate moving something to a different position. Example: Please put* the book on the table. German uses four different verbs to express movement. The choice of verb is dependent upon the shape of the object: legen legte hat gelegt to lay (a book) stellen stellte hat gestellt to put (in upright position) (a vase) hängen hängte hat gehängt to hang (a painting) (sich) setzen setzte (sich) hat (sich) gesetzt to set (a person) *Please note that "putzen" in German means "to clean". It has no relation to "to put." These verbs are all weak and they can take a direct object. If these verbs are used with a two-way preposition, the case after the preposition is accusative. Matteo legt* seine Bücher auf das Regal. Matteo puts/lays his books on the shelf. *Please note: "legen" is used for horizontal shapes. Er stellt* seinen Computer auf den Tisch. He puts his computer on the table *Please note: "stellen" is used for vertically oriented objects with a base that need to be put into a standing position. Er hängt seine Hemden in den Schrank. He hangs his shirts into the closet. Er setzt* sich auf den Stuhl. He sits (himself) down on the chair. *Please note: the verb "setzen" is normally used only for people or pets in German, not for inanimate objects. If "setzen" refers to the subject of the sentence, it needs the reflexive pronoun "sich".