learn

UK: /ˈlɜː^rn/ US: /lɝn/ ,(lûrn)

Inflections of 'learn' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

The past form "learnt" is mainly used in UK English. It is correct in US English, but rare. The past form "learned" is correct in both US and UK English.

learns

v 3rd person singular

learning

v pres p

learned

v past (US & UK)

learnt

v past (Mainly UK)

learned

v past p (US & UK)

learnt

v past p (Mainly UK)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

learn /lɜrn/   v., learned /lɜrnd/   or learnt/lɜrnt/  learn•ing. 
v. 

1. to gain or acquire knowledge of or skill in (something) by study, instruction, or experience: [~ + object]
   to learn a new language.
   [~ + (how) to + verb]
   Where did you learn (how) to throw a ball like that?
   [no object]
   She learns quickly.
2. to become informed of or acquainted with;
   find out: [~ + object]
   to learn the truth.
   [~ + (that) clause]
   I learned that he was a sailor only last week.
   [~ + about/of + object]
   When did you learn about his past?
3. to memorize:
   [~ + object] He learned the poem in ten minutes.
4. to gain by experience, exposure to example, or the like:
   [~ + object] She learned patience from her father.
5. Slang Terms [Nonstandard.] to teach:
   [~ + object + object] learned him a lesson he won't forget.

learn•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

learn  (lûrn), v., learned (lûrnd) or learnt, learn•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience:
   to learn French; to learn to ski.
2. to become informed of or acquainted with;
   ascertain:
   to learn the truth.
3. to memorize:
   He learned the poem so he could recite it at the dinner.
4. to gain (a habit, mannerism, etc.) by experience, exposure to example, or the like;
   acquire:
   She learned patience from her father.
5. Computing (of a device or machine, esp. a computer) to perform an analogue of human learning with artificial intelligence.
6. Slang Terms [Nonstandard.] to instruct in;
   teach.

v.i. 

7. to acquire knowledge or skill:
   to learn rapidly.
8. to become informed (usually fol. by of ):
   to learn of an accident.

• bef. 900; Middle English lernen, Old English leornian to learn, read, ponder (cognate with German lernen); akin to lesan to glean (cognate with German lesen to read). See lear

learn′a•ble, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. Learn, ascertain, detect, discover imply adding to one's store of facts. To learn is to add to one's knowledge or information:
  to learn a language.
  To ascertain is to verify facts by inquiry or analysis:
  to ascertain the truth about an event.
  To detect implies becoming aware of something that had been obscure, secret, or concealed:
  to detect a flaw in reasoning.
  To discover is used with objective clauses as a synonym of learn in order to suggest that the new information acquired is surprising to the learner:
  I discovered that she had been married before.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

learn / lɜːn/ verb (learns, learning, learned / lɜːnd/, learnt)

1. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to gain knowledge of (something) or acquire skill in (some art or practice)
2. (transitive) to commit to memory
3. (transitive) to gain by experience, example, etc
4. (intr; often followed by of or about) to become informed; know
5. to teach

Etymology: Old English leornian; related to Old High German lirnen

ˈlearnable adjective