hinlegen
to put down
To put something in a specific place, usually in a lying or flat position.
EXAMPLE
Du kannst die Post einfach auf den Küchentisch hinlegen.
You can simply put the mail down on the kitchen table.
hinlegen
to put down / to lie down
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Meanings
sich hinlegen
to lie down
To get into a lying position in order to rest or sleep.
EXAMPLE
Ich bin müde, ich lege mich eine halbe Stunde hin.
I'm tired; I'm going to lie down for half an hour.
etwas hinlegen
to pull off
Colloquial for delivering an impressive performance or show.
EXAMPLE
Die Band hat gestern Abend einen fantastischen Auftritt hingelegt.
The band pulled off a fantastic performance last night.
sich hinlegen
to take a fall
Colloquial for falling down or crashing, often in a minor accident.
EXAMPLE
Auf dem glatten Eis habe ich mich mit dem Fahrrad hingelegt.
On the slippery ice, I took a fall with my bike.
hinlegen für
to shell out
Colloquial for paying an often large amount of money for something.
EXAMPLE
Für die Reparatur des Autos musste er fast 1000 Euro hinlegen.
He had to shell out almost 1,000 euros for the car repair.
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Hinlegen' (to put down / to lie down) is a separable verb. The prefix 'hin-' separates from the verb in main clauses and stands at the end. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
EXAMPLE
Er legt das Buch auf den Tisch hin.
He puts the book down on the table.
Accusative object
The verb 'hinlegen' (to put down / to lie down) always needs an accusative object. This can be a thing, as in 'etwas hinlegen' (to put something down), or a reflexive pronoun, as in 'sich hinlegen' (to lie down).
EXAMPLE
Sie legt ihre Jacke auf das Sofa.
She puts her jacket on the sofa.
Context clue
The reflexive form 'sich hinlegen' has two colloquial meanings. Whether it means 'sich ausruhen' (to rest) or 'hinfallen' (to fall down) can only be recognized from context. An intentional action suggests resting; an accident suggests falling down.
EXAMPLE
Ich bin so müde, ich lege mich kurz hin.
I'm so tired; I'm going to lie down for a moment.
Typical collocations
In the colloquial meaning 'eine Leistung erbringen' (to deliver a performance), 'hinlegen' is often combined with nouns from the area of performance. Typical phrases are 'einen Auftritt' (a performance), 'eine tolle Show' (a great show), or 'eine super Prüfung' (a great exam) hinlegen.
EXAMPLE
Die junge Pianistin hat ein beeindruckendes Konzert hingelegt.
The young pianist pulled off an impressive concert.
Sentence structure when paying
When 'hinlegen' is used colloquially to mean 'bezahlen' (to pay), the price often stands as the accusative object. The preposition 'für' indicates what was paid for.
EXAMPLE
Für dieses alte Fahrrad soll ich 50 Euro hinlegen? Das ist zu viel.
I'm supposed to shell out 50 euros for this old bike? That's too much.
Compare with
hinlegen vs bezahlen
to pay
Bezahlen is the neutral term for giving money for something. „Hinlegen für“ is colloquial and often emphasizes that you are spending a fairly large amount of money on something. „Bezahlen“ fits a factual statement, while „hinlegen“ can fit a casual statement about a large sum.
hinlegen
Für das gebrauchte Fahrrad musste ich 300 Euro hinlegen.
I had to shell out 300 euros for the used bicycle.
bezahlen
Für das gebrauchte Fahrrad musste ich 300 Euro bezahlen.
I had to pay 300 euros for the used bicycle.
In real life
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