Yacer vs. Acostarse

[laepelba]

I'm working on learning a list of Spanish verbs whose definitions in English include a preposition (like buscar and pedir, etc.).

One of the verbs on the list is yacer. I have a few questions about yacer....

1) Please help me understand the difference between yacer and acostarse. They are listed in my dictionary as synonyms. But when used like acostarse, why wouldn't yacer be reflexive? Would someone please compare and contrast the use of these two verbs for me? Thanks!! (Examples would be wonderfully helpful!!)

2) I see that the conjugation of yacer is rather unique - that the first person singular has three conjugations (yazco, yazgo, yago - the first of two which I would assume are pronounced almost the same), which then affects the subjunctive and command forms... Are there many verbs like this? Is there a preferred form? How do verbs (etymologically speaking) develop several forms of the same conjugation?

Thanks for any help you can give me in wrapping my head around this!!

[chileno]

See in your language the differences of lie and lay, and then you have to compare them to yacer and acostar definitions in the RAE, see if there are any false cognates...

[laepelba]

I don't distinguish between lie and lay. (I'm dumb about my own language....) :-/

[aleCcowaN]

yacer = estar acostado

but it's very unusual today in that meaning.

People "está acostada" when they take voluntarily such position or when they are alive and kept in that position -like a person in comma-.

People "yace" when they simply lie.

Aquí yace Pepe el Fiestero (Here lies Joe Party ... it's the first time his wife knows where he is). Not "aquí está acostado ..." because he's not getting up ... at least any soon.

En el campo de batalla yacen los cuerpos de los vencidos (not "están acostados")

Los restos de una taza yacían rotos en el suelo (things don't "se acuestan")

Yacía en la cama enfermo. (it's often intended as conveying the notion of "prostrated" more that "laying in bed")

"Yacer" is a pretty educated verb that has many alternatives in real life:

yace en la cama durmiendo = duerme en su cama = está durmiendo
yacían rotos en el suelo = están esparcidos por el suelo

[laepelba]

So, loosely, yacer is used when one is in the process of laying there ... acostarse is used when one is in the process of getting into the laying down position? I have a friend who will send me a text message in the morning saying "ya me estoy acostando" meaning that she is still in bed..... could she also say "ya estoy yaciendo"?

I still don't really understand why yacer, in this sense, is not reflexive.... :-/

Also, does anyone have any ideas about my second question?

THANKS!!

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

For 1): They are not exactly synonyms. "Yacer" is mostly used in literary language and it might be more a synonym for "estar acostado", while "acostarse" implies the action of lying down.

Examples:
·El cadáver yace silencioso en la tumba.
The corpse lays down soundless in the grave.
-> If you say "el cadáver está acostado", could mean it made the decision and took the action to lay down.
·Acostaron el cadáver en medio de la sala para velarlo.
They laid the corpse in the middle of the living room to keep vigil over it.
-> The action of "acostar" the corpse is made by someone else.

·No puedo estar tranquilo sabiendo que mi hermano yace en una cama de hospital.
I can't stay calm knowing my brother is laying down in a hospital bed.
-> If you say "está acostado" may imply he's not ill and can get up any minute and walk away.
·La enfermera me ayudó a acostarme en la cama del hospital.
The nurse helped me to get in the hospital bed.
-> I'm sick and I need help for laying down in bed, but I can change my position.

I think the definitions in the DRAE will give you a more precise idea about "yacer" though.


For 2): Yes, there are many verbs that have (highly) irregular conjugations, but normally they're not the most used in everyday language. (Sorry, it won't be me who would do a list.)
Anyway, practice will tell you when a verb does not correspond to regular conjugation and a conjugation manual may help you develop an intuition about the many kinds of verbs.

[laepelba]

Thanks, Malila - that is very helpful. Which would you use, yazco, yazgo, or yago?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

"Yazco", but someone beside me has just said "yazgo" and someone else "corrected" us quoting a Spanish poet (Antonio Machado) using "yago", so I can't say there is one more used than the others.

[aleCcowaN]

Originally Posted by laepelba

"ya me estoy acostando"

That means "I'm already going to bed" or "I'm about to go to bed". It doesn't mean "I'm still in bed" at all. Not in Spanish.

As chileno said, acostarse for lay (to bring oneself to a lying position) and yacer for lie.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by laepelba

I don't distinguish between lie and lay. (I'm dumb about my own language....) :-/

Shame on you.