Die Kamera liegt auf dem Tisch.

The camera lies on the table.

Breakdown of Die Kamera liegt auf dem Tisch.

• dem: the; (masculine or neuter, dative)
• der Tisch: the table
• auf: on
• liegen: to lie
• die Kamera: the camera

Questions & Answers about Die Kamera liegt auf dem Tisch.

Why is the article die used before Kamera?

Kamera is a feminine noun in German. In the singular nominative case (the subject of a sentence), feminine nouns take die as the definite article. Hence die Kamera.

Why are the nouns Kamera and Tisch capitalized?

In German orthography, all nouns—regardless of gender or number—are always capitalized. That’s why you see Kamera and Tisch with initial capitals.

Why is liegt used instead of ist to describe the camera’s location?

While ist simply means “is,” using liegt (from the verb liegen) emphasizes that the camera is lying or resting in a horizontal position. So Die Kamera liegt auf dem Tisch conveys both its location and its orientation.

What’s the difference between liegen and legen?

• liegen is intransitive: it means “to lie” (to be in a horizontal/resting position). It describes a static state and pairs with the dative case for location.
• legen is transitive: it means “to lay” or “to place” something down. It describes an action and takes a direct object in the accusative case.

Why is dem used in auf dem Tisch instead of den or der?

auf is one of the Wechselpräpositionen (two-way prepositions) that govern either accusative (movement toward) or dative (static location). Since the camera is already resting and not moving, you use the dative. Tisch is masculine, so its dative singular article is dem.

If I wanted to say “I put the camera on the table,” how would that change the case and verb?

You’d express an action of placing, so you switch to legen and the accusative case: Ich lege die Kamera auf den Tisch.

• lege shows the action of laying.
• auf den Tisch uses den because Tisch (masculine) takes accusative with movement.

What’s the word order in Die Kamera liegt auf dem Tisch and why?

In a standard German main clause, the finite verb stands in second position. Here it’s:

1. Die Kamera (subject) – position 1
2. liegt (verb) – position 2
3. auf dem Tisch (prepositional phrase) – follows
   This S-V-P order is typical in German.

How do you ask “Where is the camera?” based on this sentence?

Substitute the location phrase with wo (where) and invert subject and verb: Wo liegt die Kamera?