Breakdown of Die Gitarre liegt jetzt auf dem Sofa.
jetzt
now
die Gitarre
the guitar
das Sofa
the sofa
auf
on / to (down/up to a level)
liegen
to lie
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
Questions & Answers about Die Gitarre liegt jetzt auf dem Sofa.
Why does jetzt come before auf dem Sofa?
In German, adverbs and prepositional phrases usually follow the rule Time before Place. Since jetzt tells us when (Time) and auf dem Sofa tells us where (Place), the time word must come first. This is a key part of the TeKaMoLo guideline you are currently practicing.
Why use liegt instead of just saying the guitar ist on the sofa?
While you could use a form of sein (to be), German strongly prefers using specific positional verbs to describe where physical objects are located. Because a guitar typically rests flat on its back or side on a piece of furniture, we use liegen (to lie). If it were upright on a floor stand, you would use stehen (to stand).
Why is it auf dem Sofa (dative) and not auf das Sofa (accusative)?
The word auf is a two-way preposition. Because the guitar is already resting in a fixed location (answering the question where?), we must use the dative case dem Sofa. If someone were in the process of placing the guitar down onto the sofa (a movement toward a destination), you would use the accusative case das Sofa.
Could I start this sentence with Jetzt instead?
Yes! You can emphasize the time by putting it first. The sentence would become: Jetzt liegt die Gitarre auf dem Sofa. Notice that because the verb liegt must strictly stay in the second position, the subject die Gitarre has to move to the spot right after the verb.
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