learn
A1Neutral (used in all registers from formal to informal)
Definition
Meaning
To acquire knowledge or skill through study, experience, or teaching.
To become aware of information; to memorize; to develop a habit or understanding; to adjust behavior based on past experience.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Denotes a process with a result (acquired knowledge/ability). Can be transitive (learn a language) or intransitive (learn from mistakes). In some informal contexts (chiefly US), 'learn' is used to mean 'teach' (non-standard). The past tense/past participle can be 'learned' or 'learnt', with regional preferences.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Past tense/past participle: 'learnt' is common in UK English; 'learned' is dominant in US English. US English more commonly accepts the informal, non-standard use of 'learn' to mean 'teach' (e.g., 'I'll learn you a lesson').
Connotations
Identical core meaning. The adjective 'learned' (/ˈlɜːrnɪd/ or /ˈlɜːnɪd/), meaning erudite, is used formally in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in both varieties with no significant difference in usage rate for the standard meaning.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[learn + NP] (learn French)[learn + wh-clause] (learn how to swim)[learn + that-clause] (learn that he was leaving)[learn + from + NP] (learn from a mistake)[learn + to-infinitive] (learn to drive)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Learn the hard way”
- “Learn the ropes”
- “Live and learn”
- “You learn something new every day.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Employees must learn new software to improve efficiency.
Academic
The study aims to understand how children learn syntactic rules.
Everyday
I'm trying to learn a few phrases before my holiday.
Technical
The machine learning algorithm is designed to learn from vast datasets.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Children learnt about the Romans in history.
- It's important to learn from your failures.
American English
- She learned to code over the summer.
- We're learning a lot about customer preferences.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I learn English at school.
- Babies learn to walk.
- Did you learn the new words?
- She is learning how to play the guitar.
- We learned about climate change in geography.
- He learnt his lines for the play perfectly.
- The team had to quickly learn to adapt to the new regulations.
- I learned from a reliable source that the meeting is cancelled.
- Living abroad taught her to learn from different cultures.
- The AI model is designed to learn iteratively from its own mistakes.
- One must learn to discriminate between credible and dubious information sources.
- He had learned the hard way that trust must be earned.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
You EARN knowledge when you LEARN.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE IS A POSSESSION (to acquire/have knowledge), LEARNING IS A JOURNEY (embark on a learning curve), THE MIND IS A CONTAINER (to absorb/fill with knowledge).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'learn' for attending a university/class. Use 'study at' or 'go to'. (Not: I learn at university. Use: I study at/go to university.)
- Do not confuse with 'teach'. Russian 'учить' covers both 'learn' and 'teach'. English has separate verbs.
- Be careful with collocations: 'learn news' is unnatural; use 'hear the news' or 'find out the news'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'learn' instead of 'teach' (informal/non-standard).
- Using 'learn about' when 'learn' suffices (e.g., 'learn about swim' vs. 'learn to swim').
- Misspelling past tense as 'learnd'.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'learn' incorrectly in standard English?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are correct as the past tense/past participle. 'Learnt' is more common in UK English, 'learned' is dominant in US English and often used in UK English as well. The adjective meaning 'erudite' is always 'learned' (pronounced with two syllables: /ˈlɜːrnɪd/).
'Learn' focuses on the outcome (acquiring knowledge/skill). 'Study' focuses on the process or activity (reading, revising, attending classes). You can study for hours but not learn anything. You can learn something quickly without much formal study.
In non-standard, chiefly informal American English, it is sometimes used this way (e.g., 'I'll learn you a lesson!'). This is considered incorrect in standard English and should be avoided in formal writing and speech.
Some of the strongest, most fixed collocations are 'learn by heart' (memorize), 'learn the ropes' (learn the basics of a job/activity), 'learn a lesson' (often from a negative experience), and 'learn the hard way'.
Collections
Part of a collection
Education
A2 · 50 words · School, studying and learning vocabulary.