Question 1

Why does the sentence use leg in the first half and zet in the second half?

Accepted Answer

Both are transitive posture verbs, meaning someone is actively placing an object (the mirror). You use leggen (to lay) when putting something down in a flat, horizontal position, like on a bed. You use zetten (to put/set) when placing something down in a vertical, upright position.

Question 2

If the mirror is already resting on the bed, would I use liggen or leggen?

Accepted Answer

You would use liggen (to lie). Leggen is the active motion of putting it there. Once the mirror is flat on the bed, it is just resting without a direct object being moved, so you use the intransitive verb and say De spiegel ligt op het bed.

Question 3

If the mirror is already placed upright, does it "sit" (zit) or "stand" (staat)?

Accepted Answer

It "stands" (staat). The active verb zetten (to place upright) pairs with the resting state of staan (to stand). So once you are done placing it, you would say De spiegel staat rechtop.

Question 4

Why does the sentence use hem (him) to refer to a mirror?

Accepted Answer

In Dutch, spiegel is a de-word. When referring back to a de-word that is the object of the sentence, you use hem (him), even for inanimate objects. You only use het (it) to refer back to het-words.

Question 5

Why is the word order zet je instead of je zet after the word of?

Accepted Answer

This sentence is made of two yes/no questions joined by of (or). A yes/no question starts with the verb, which is why we see Leg je... (Verb-Subject). The second half continues the question format, so it also uses the inverted Verb-Subject order (...zet je...).

Leg je de spiegel op het bed, of zet je hem rechtop?

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