lernen

Etymology

From Middle High German lernen, from Old High German lernēn, lirnēn, from Proto-Germanic *liznaną. Cognate with Old English leornian (Modern English learn). Related to lehren.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɛʁnən/

• audio (Germany)

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• audio (Austria)

  (file)

Verb

lernen (third-person singular simple present lernt, past tense lernte, past participle gelernt, auxiliary haben)

1. (intransitive, transitive) to learn

   Ich lerne Spanisch.

   I’m learning Spanish.

   • 2010, Der Spiegel, issue 25/2010, page 77:

     Es gilt deshalb, die richtigen Lehren aus der Krise zu ziehen, aus den Fehlern der Vergangenheit zu lernen, um die Zukunft zu sichern.

     Therefore it is necessary to draw the right lessons from the crisis, to learn from the mistakes of the past for securing the future.

2. to study (revise/review materials)

   Ich muss für meine Prüfung lernen.

   I have to study for my exam.

3. (intransitive) to train something
4. (dialectal, with dative) to teach

   Das lern ich dir.

   I’ll teach you that.

Further reading

• lernen in Duden online

Alternative forms

• lirnēn

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *liznaną, akin to Old Saxon lernon, Old English leornian.

Verb

lernēn

1. to learn, to study