Learn Russian: На столе лежит новый бланк.

In Russian, sentences often end with the newest or most important information. By starting with the location (на столе) and ending with the object, the sentence naturally translates to 'There is a...' in English. If the order were reversed (Новый бланк лежит на столе), it would mean 'The new form is on the table,' which emphasizes where the form is rather than what has appeared on the table.

Why do we use лежит (lies) instead of a word for 'is'?

Russian strongly prefers using positional verbs to describe where everyday objects are. Objects typically either stand (стоят), lie (лежат), or hang (висят). Since a paper form is flat and rests horizontally, it lies (лежит) on the table.

Is бланк a false friend? Does it mean a 'blank' piece of paper?

Yes, it is a false friend! In Russian, бланк specifically means a printed form (like an application or medical form) or letterhead that needs to be filled out. If you want to talk about a completely blank piece of paper, you would say чистый лист (literally, a clean sheet).