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What is the difference between “lay” and “lie”?

Which one of the following examples is correct?

  1. Lie down on the bench.

  2. Lay down on the bench.

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The important distinction is that lay requires a direct object and lie does not. So you lie down on the sofa (no direct object), but you lay the book down on the table (the book is the direct object).

Benyamin Hamidekhoo
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    There are also some complications when you are dealing with the past tense of "lie" which is "lay" and it shouldn't be mistaken for "lay" in present tense. – Benyamin Hamidekhoo Jan 19 '13 at 09:10
  • You could also just lay (yourself) down on the sofa. (By the same logic) – Kris Jan 19 '13 at 11:25