The past tense of “learn” is learned or learnt. Both forms are correct, though the usage depends on the region. “Learned” is more common in American English, while “learnt” is often used in British English and other parts of the world.
Read on to learn more about the verb “learn.”
What Does Learn Mean?
To learn means to acquire knowledge or skills through experience, study, or teaching. When you learn something, you gain new understanding or abilities. This process can happen in various settings, such as in classrooms, workplaces, or through daily experiences.
The verb “to learn” is commonly used when discussing education, self-improvement, and life lessons. If you gain new knowledge or skills, you learn them.
In the present simple tense, “learn” has two forms: learn and learns. You use “learn” with subjects like “I,” “you,” “we,” and “they.” For example:
- I learn something new every day.
- They learn mathematics at school.
For third-person singular subjects (he, she, it), you add “s” to form learns. Here are some examples:
- He learns quickly from his mistakes.
- She learns the piano at her music class.
The Past Tense of Learn
The past tense of “learn” can be either “learned” or “learnt,” depending on regional preference. Both mean the same and are used to describe actions completed in the past. For example:
- Yesterday, I learned a new recipe.
- She learnt how to play the guitar last summer.
It’s important to remember that both “learned” and “learnt” are correct, but you should stay consistent within your writing. Use “learned” for American English and “learnt” for British English.
Learned is pronounced like this: /lɜːrnd/, while learnt is pronounced /lɜːnt/. “Learned” rhymes with “earned,” and “learnt” rhymes with “burnt.”
The Past Participle of Learn
The past participle of “learn” can also be either “learned” or “learnt,” depending on the form you use. It’s used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses (present perfect, past perfect) or passive voice constructions. For example:
- Present Perfect: I have learned a lot from this book.
- Past Perfect: She had learnt all the key concepts before the exam.
- Passive Voice: The lesson was learned by all students.
The past participle remains consistent regardless of the tense or subject when combined with auxiliary verbs.
Important note
“Learned” and “learnt” can serve as both the past simple and past participle forms of “learn.” However, remember that the past simple and past participle forms of other irregular verbs may not always be the same.
When to Use Learned or Learnt
Here is when you can use “learned” or “learnt”:
Past Simple and “Learned” or “Learnt”
In the past simple tense, you use “learned” or “learnt” to describe an action that happened and was completed in the past. For example:
- I learned a lot during the course last year.
Here, “learned” (or “learnt”) is the past simple form used to describe a completed action.
In negative sentences, you use the base form “learn” with “didn’t” instead of “learned” or “learnt.” For example:
- Positive: I learned to swim when I was five.
- Negative: I didn’t learn how to cook until I was an adult.
In negative sentences, the formula is: subject + didn’t + learn.
Present Perfect and “Learned” or “Learnt”
The present perfect tense combines “have” or “has” with the past participle of the verb. In this case, the past participle is “learned” or “learnt.” This tense refers to actions that occurred at an unspecified time in the past but have relevance to the present. For example:
- I have learned so much from this experience.
- She has learnt to appreciate different cultures through travel.
This uses the formula: subject + have/has + learned/learnt.
In negative sentences, you use “haven’t” or “hasn’t” with “learned” or “learnt”:
- I haven’t learned anything new today.
- He hasn’t learnt how to drive yet.
Past Perfect and “Learned” or “Learnt”
The past perfect tense is used to describe an action completed before another action in the past. To form this tense, you use “had” with the past participle learned or learnt. For example:
- By the time the lecture ended, I had learned all the important details.
- They had learnt how to solve the problem before the teacher explained it.
For affirmative sentences, we use the formula: subject + had + learned/learnt.
In negative sentences, use “hadn’t” with “learned” or “learnt”:
- I hadn’t learned that technique before last week.
- They hadn’t learnt that fact until much later.
Learned as an Adjective
Using Learned as an Adjective
The word “learned” can also function as an adjective, describing someone who is knowledgeable, well-educated, or scholarly. When used in this way, “learned” emphasizes a person’s depth of knowledge acquired through education or experience.
Examples:
- She is a learned scholar in ancient history.
- The conference featured many learned speakers who shared their expertise.
In these examples, “learned” describes individuals who have gained significant knowledge in their respective fields. This usage is distinct from the past tense of “learn,” where it denotes completed actions. It is also pronounced differently than when it is used as the past tense of “learn”.
- As an adjective: learned is pronounced /ˈlɜrnɪd/ (with two syllables). So, you say it like “learn-ed”.
- As the past tense of “learn”: learned is pronounced /lɜːrnd/ (with one syllable). So, you say it like “learnd”.
Have You Learned All That?
To summarize, the past tense of “learn” can be “learned” or “learnt.” Both are correct, but usage varies based on regional preferences. You use learned/learnt, have/has learned/learnt, or had learned/learnt depending on the context. Each form helps describe when and how learning took place.
Hopefully, this article has helped you learn everything you need to know about the past tense of “learn”!
James has been helping people teach English abroad for over twelve years. He’s traveled to over 30 countries, lived in 3, and taught English in Chile and online.
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