learn
/lɜːn/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To get knowledge or skill by studying, being taught, or doing something again and again. It can also mean to find out or understand something.
- I learned French at school.
- You learn from your mistakes.
- We learned the truth later.
Adinary Nuance
Use learn when you get knowledge or skill yourself. Use teach when you give knowledge to someone else. Use study for the activity of reading, practising, or preparing, while learn is the result. You can learn something by studying, but the two words are not the same.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- học
- Spanish
- aprender
- Chinese
- 学习
- Japanese
- 学ぶ
- Korean
- 배우다
Etymology
Old English had the verb 'leornian', meaning to get knowledge or to study. It has been in English since before the 12th century.
Common phrases
learn by heartlearn a lessonlearn the ropeslearn from experience
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between learn and study?
- Study means to spend time reading or practising. Learn means to get the knowledge or skill after that effort.
- Is learn a common word in business and academic English?
- Yes. It is very common in both, especially in phrases like learn skills and learn from research.
- Can learn mean 'find out'?
- Yes. You can say, 'I learned the news today,' meaning you found out something.