Hinlegen

Hinlegen is a German verb meaning to lay down or to place something in a horizontal position, and it can also mean to lie down oneself. It is a separable verb formed from legen with the directional prefix hin-. In everyday use, it covers both putting something down and the act of reclining.

In present tense, the prefix hin- is separated: ich lege mich hin, du legst dich hin, er legt sich hin. The verb can be used transitively for objects (ich lege den Mantel auf den Stuhl) or reflexively for a person (ich lege mich hin). The reflexive form sich hinlegen specifically means to lie down to rest or sleep. The past participle is hingelegt (often written hingelegt or hingelegt in context), and the perfect forms are ich habe mich hingelegt or ich habe das Buch hingelegt.

Common usage notes include that hinlegen emphasizes placing something down or lying down. To distinguish from legen (to lay something) and sich legen (to lie down in general), hinlegen focuses on the action of placing horizontally or entering a resting position with the implication of a temporary or preparatory act. Imperative forms are Leg dich hin or Legt euch hin for plural.

Etymology: hin- is a German directional prefix indicating movement toward a goal or away from the speaker, combined with legen (to lay). The expression is widespread in colloquial and written German and is paired with various objects or with the reflexive pronoun for personal reclining.

See also: legen, sich legen, niederlegen, auflegen.