Han ligger bevisstløs på gulvet.

he

Breakdown of Han ligger bevisstløs på gulvet.

• på: on
• gulvet: the floor
• ligge: to lie (be located)

Questions & Answers about Han ligger bevisstløs på gulvet.

Why does Norwegian use ligger here instead of er?

Because ligger tells you about the person’s position: he is in a lying position.

• Han er bevisstløs = He is unconscious.
• Han ligger bevisstløs på gulvet = He is lying unconscious on the floor.

So er would only describe his state, while ligger adds physical position as well.

What is the difference between ligger and legger?

This is a very common confusion.

• ligger = lies / is lying (state or position)
• legger = lays / puts down or lies down in some reflexive uses (action)

Compare:

• Han ligger på gulvet. = He is lying on the floor.
• Han legger boka på gulvet. = He puts the book on the floor.
• Han legger seg på gulvet. = He lies down on the floor.

So in your sentence, ligger is correct because it describes the result/state, not the action of moving down.

Does ligger mean is lying here, not just lies?

Yes. In Norwegian, the present tense often covers both:

• English he lies
• English he is lying

So Han ligger bevisstløs på gulvet can naturally correspond to He is lying unconscious on the floor.

Norwegian does not usually need a separate progressive form like English is lying.