Yacer Examples, Sentences and Quiz in Spanish

Introduction

yacer means "to lie (down, dead)" in English, and it is a verb you will use constantly once you start speaking Spanish for real. This page shows yacer in everyday sentences, grouped by meaning, then puts it into two short conversations, lists the mistakes learners actually make, and finishes with a ten-question quiz and answers to the most common questions. Every sentence below uses a real form of yacer, so you can copy the patterns and change the person, the tense and the complement to make your own versions. Start with the examples, say them aloud, and then try the quiz without looking back.

Example sentences with yacer

To lie (down

Yacer means to lie (down. The sentences below all use it in that sense.

  1. Yo yazco aquí — "I lie (down here"
  2. Él yace en paz — "He lies (down in peace"
  3. Desde 1950, yo yací — "Since 1950, I lay (down"
  4. Yo yacía aquí — "I used to lie (down here"
  5. Yo yaceré en paz — "I will lie (down in peace"
  6. Desde 1950, yo he yacido — "Since 1950, I have lain (down"

Dead)

Yacer means dead). The sentences below all use it in that sense.

  1. Desde 1950, él yació — "Since 1950, he lay (down"
  2. Él yacía aquí — "He used to lie (down here"
  3. Tú yacerás en paz — "You will lie (down in peace"
  4. Desde 1950, yo yacería — "Since 1950, I would lie (down"
  5. Yo había yacido aquí — "I had lain (down here"
  6. Nosotros yacemos en paz — "We lie (down in peace"

Yacer in conversation

The two dialogues below show yacer in natural conversation. Read both parts aloud, then try to continue each dialogue with a sentence of your own.

Dialogue 1

  • ¿Tú yaces aquí? — "Do you lie (down here?"
  • Sí, yo yazco aquí cada día. — "Yes, I lie (down here every day."
  • ¿Y ayer? ¿Tú yaciste en paz? — "And yesterday? Did you lie (down in peace?"
  • Sí, yo yací en paz. — "Yes, I lay (down in peace."
  • Mañana, desde 1950, yo yaceré también. — "Tomorrow, since 1950, I will lie (down too."

Dialogue 2

  • ¿Vosotros yacéis aquí? — "Do you lie (down here?"
  • Sí, nosotros yacemos aquí los fines de semana. — "Yes, We lie (down here at the weekends."
  • ¿Y ellos? ¿Ellos yacen en paz? — "And them? Do they lie (down in peace?"
  • Sí, ellos yacen en paz también. — "Yes, They lie (down in peace too."
  • Mañana nosotros yaceremos en paz otra vez. — "Tomorrow we will lie (down in peace again."

Useful phrases with yacer

Four patterns you can use with yacer in any conversation. The infinitive stays the same; only the first verb changes.

  • Voy a yacer aquí. — "I am going to lie (down here."
  • Quiero yacer en paz. — "I want to lie (down in peace."
  • Me gusta yacer desde 1950. — "I like to lie (down since 1950."
  • Acabo de yacer aquí. — "I have just lain (down here."

Common mistakes with yacer in everyday use

Mistake 1

  • Wrong: Ellos yace aquí.
  • Right: Ellos yacen aquí.
  • Why: Ellos needs the ellos form yacen. The singular yace belongs with él, ella or a singular noun.

Mistake 2

  • Wrong: Todos los días, yo yací.
  • Right: Todos los días, yo yazco.
  • Why: Todos los días means every day, so the action is a habit and needs the present tense. The preterite is for one finished action, not for routines.

Mistake 3

  • Wrong: Yo soy yacido en paz.
  • Right: Yo he yacido en paz.
  • Why: Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he yacido, has yacido, ha yacido.

Mistake 4

  • Wrong: Ayer, yo yazco.
  • Right: Ayer, yo yací.
  • Why: Ayer means yesterday, so the action is finished and needs the preterite (yací). The present (yazco) is for habits and for now.

Mistake 5

  • Wrong: Espero que él yace aquí.
  • Right: Espero que él yazca aquí.
  • Why: After espero que, Spanish needs the present subjunctive: yazca. The indicative form would be wrong here.

Quiz: yacer in use

Ten questions on yacer across the tenses. The answers are explained, so read them even when you get a question right.

1. What is the I form of yacer in the present tense?

  • (a) yacerían
  • (b) yacéis
  • (c) yaceréis
  • (d) yazco

Answer: (d) yazco. The I form in the present is yazco.

2. What is the he / she form of yacer in the present tense?

  • (a) yacerás
  • (b) yacía
  • (c) yace
  • (d) habíamos yacido

Answer: (c) yace. The he / she form in the present is yace.

3. What is the he / she form of yacer in the preterite tense?

  • (a) yacerían
  • (b) yacían
  • (c) yazcan
  • (d) yació

Answer: (d) yació. The he / she form in the preterite is yació.

4. What is the I form of yacer in the imperfect tense?

  • (a) habremos yacido
  • (b) yacía
  • (c) yace
  • (d) yaceríamos

Answer: (b) yacía. The I form in the imperfect is yacía.

5. What is the I form of yacer in the future tense?

  • (a) habrías yacido
  • (b) yacerías
  • (c) yaceré
  • (d) hemos yacido

Answer: (c) yaceré. The I form in the future is yaceré.

6. What is the I form of yacer in the present perfect tense?

  • (a) yacería
  • (b) yacían
  • (c) he yacido
  • (d) yazcan

Answer: (c) he yacido. The I form in the present perfect is he yacido.

7. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ aquí.

  • (a) yazcas
  • (b) yazcan
  • (c) yacáis
  • (d) yazca

Answer: (d) yazca. The he / she form in the present subjunctive is yazca.

8. What is the we form of yacer in the present tense?

  • (a) yazcas
  • (b) habrá yacido
  • (c) yacemos
  • (d) habríais yacido

Answer: (c) yacemos. The we form in the present is yacemos.

9. What is the I form of yacer in the preterite tense?

  • (a) yací
  • (b) hemos yacido
  • (c) han yacido
  • (d) habían yacido

Answer: (a) yací. The I form in the preterite is yací.

10. What is the they form of yacer in the present tense?

  • (a) yacieras
  • (b) habrías yacido
  • (c) habríamos yacido
  • (d) yacen

Answer: (d) yacen. The they form in the present is yacen.

Frequently asked questions about yacer

Is yacer regular?

Yacer is a spelling-changing -er (c → zc before o/a) verb: yazco, yaces, yace. See the full conjugation of yacer for every tense.

What is the past participle of yacer?

The past participle is yacido, used with haber in the perfect tenses: he yacido. The gerund is yaciendo, used with estar: estoy yaciendo.

How do I say “I lie (down” in the past?

For one finished action, use the preterite: Yo yací en paz. For a habit in the past, use the imperfect: Desde 1950, yo yacía.

How can I practise yacer?

Start with the examples above: say each sentence aloud, then change the person and the complement. Then take the quiz, and finish with the Verb Quiz and the Conjugation Practice tools, which test the same forms in a different order. A few minutes a day with one verb is worth more than an hour once a week.

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