j'ai appris
In French, "I learned" is expressed as j'ai appris.
The phrase is used to state that someone has acquired new knowledge or a skill.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, j'ai appris means "I have learned," utilizing the passé composé to express an action that was completed in the past.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes slightly depending on what follows it. If you are saying "I learned to [do something]", use j'ai appris à. If you are introducing a subordinate clause, such as "I learned that [something happened]", you must use j'ai appris que instead of à.
Did you know?
- In French, apprendre is a rare 'double-duty' verb that means both 'to learn' and 'to teach'. Depending on the context, j'ai appris can mean 'I learned' or 'I taught'.
- The word appris shares a common ancestor with the English word 'apprehend', which means to capture or seize.
- If a French speaker says j'ai appris la nouvelle, they aren't talking about a skill but are saying 'I heard the news'. In this context, the phrase functions more like 'I found out'.
Examples in context
- J'ai appris ça de toi.I learned that from you.This sentence is useful for showing the source of information using j'ai appris.Tatoeba #7967466 by Aiji, translation #2060046 by CK
- J'ai appris à cuisiner.I learned to cook.This sentence is useful for showing the acquisition of a skill using j'ai appris.Tatoeba #1843066 by sacredceltic, translation #7587197 by _undertoad
- J'ai appris le français.I learned French.This sentence is useful for showing the acquisition of a language using j'ai appris.Tatoeba #10485895 by lbdx, translation #10363147 by shekitten
- J'ai appris le français à l'école.I learned French at school.
- J'ai appris beaucoup de choses lors de ma dernière formation.I learned a lot of things during my last training.
- Je me suis instruit en lisant des livres.I educated myself by reading books.
- Je me suis instruit sur ce sujet grâce à des recherches approfondies.I have learned about this subject through in-depth research.
- C'est un peu compliqué, mais j'ai pigé.It's a bit complicated, but I got it.
- 71 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their new hobbies at a café.
- LucasJ'ai appris le piano récemment.I learned the piano recently.
- LéaC'est super, Lucas !That's great, Lucas!
- LucasEt toi, Léa, tu as fait quoi ?And you, Léa, what have you done?
- LéaMoi, j'ai appris la danse.As for me, I learned dancing.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries appris, j'ai, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
