verb
to lay (down), to put
A1
legen — to lay (down) or to put. A transitive verb usually taking an accusative object (e.g., etwas legen). Auxiliary: haben; perfect participle gelegt. It's a regular (weak) verb with predictable forms. Emphasize horizontal placement (legen) vs vertical placement (stellen). Not reflexive, imperative: leg!/legt!/Legen Sie!. Present participle sometimes 'legend'.
Examples
Der Gärtner legte neue Pflanzen in den Boden, als der Frost vorbei war.
The gardener planted new plants in the ground when the frost was over.
Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch.
I put the book on the table.
Er legte den Stift auf den Tisch.
He put the pen on the table.
Details
Mnemonics
Imagine placing a 'leg' on a table to lay it down
sounds like 'leg in' — put something on the leg (lay it down)
Notes
Transitive verb (takes a direct object). Uses haben in perfect tenses; regular weak conjugation.