Jeg lægger solcremen i tasken, fordi min datter altid glemmer den, når vi går ud i varmen.

I put the sunscreen in the bag because my daughter always forgets it when we go out in the heat.

Breakdown of Jeg lægger solcremen i tasken, fordi min datter altid glemmer den, når vi går ud i varmen.

• jeg: I
• i: in
• min: my
• når: when

Questions & Answers about Jeg lægger solcremen i tasken, fordi min datter altid glemmer den, når vi går ud i varmen.

Why is it lægger and not ligger?

Because lægge and ligge are different verbs.

• lægge = to lay / put something somewhere
• ligge = to lie / be lying

Here the subject jeg is actively moving solcremen, so Danish uses lægger.

Compare:

• Jeg lægger bogen på bordet. = I put the book on the table.
• Bogen ligger på bordet. = The book is lying on the table.

Also, lægger is the present tense form of lægge.

Could you also say putter instead of lægger?

Yes, Jeg putter solcremen i tasken would also sound natural.

The difference is mainly one of nuance:

• lægger suggests laying/placing it there
• putter is a very common everyday verb meaning put / pop / stick something into something

So both work, but lægger is perfectly good Danish here.

Why do solcremen, tasken, and varmen end in -en?