Ich lerne
In German, the phrase for "I am learning" is Ich lerne.
Ich lerne is a statement used to say that you are currently acquiring knowledge or studying a subject.
Which one should you use?
While lernen covers both learning a skill and studying for an exam, it is distinct from studieren, which is used specifically for studying a subject at a university level.
How does it change in a sentence?
German does not have a continuous aspect, so the simple present Ich lerne is used to express both "I learn" and "I am learning".
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly try to translate the English continuous form "I am learning" literally into German as Ich bin lernend, which is grammatically incorrect in standard German.
Did you know?
- The verb lernen can also be used as a transitive verb to mean 'meeting' someone for the first time. For example, Ich lerne ihn kennen means 'I am getting to know him'.
- The German word lernen comes from an ancient root meaning 'to track' or 'to follow a footprint'. This links the act of learning to the idea of following a path or a teacher's lead.
- In colloquial German, people often use the phrase Ich lerne gerade to emphasize that they are in the middle of the act. The word gerade acts as a substitute for the continuous 'am' that English speakers often miss.
Examples in context
- Ich lerne Toki Pona.I am learning Toki Pona.This example shows how to use Ich lerne to name the subject being learned.Tatoeba #1367559 by Tlustulimu, translation #9124282 by carlosalberto
- Ich lerne für einen Test.I am learning for a test.This example shows how to use Ich lerne when preparing for an examination.Tatoeba #9199315 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #8977737 by mccarras
- Ich lerne jetzt Gitarre spielen.I am learning to play the guitar now.This example shows how to use Ich lerne when describing learning a new skill like playing an instrument.Tatoeba #749631 by Manfredo, translation #241609 by CK
- 47 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Maximilian are talking about their hobbies.
- SarahIch lerne gerade Spanisch.I am learning Spanish right now.
- MaximilianDas ist toll, Sarah!That is great, Sarah!
- SarahUnd du, Maximilian?And you, Maximilian?
- MaximilianIch lerne momentan Programmieren.I am learning programming at the moment.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
