Aprendí por mi cuenta
/apɾendi poɾ mi kwenta/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I taught myself" is translated into Spanish as Aprendí por mi cuenta.
This phrase is used to state that you learned a specific skill or subject without the guidance of a teacher.
Which one should you use?
While Aprendí por mi cuenta focuses on the fact that you lacked external help when learning, the phrase soy autodidacta (I am self-taught) is used to focus on your status as a person who is a self-learner.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Aprendí por mi cuenta, the verb aprendí is the first-person singular preterite (past tense) of the verb aprender, which means to learn.
Did you know?
- While Aprendí por mi cuenta means you learned without a teacher, the Spanish word cuenta also refers to a bill at a restaurant or a bank account.
- The word cuenta in Aprendí por mi cuenta shares the same root as the English word 'computer'. Both derive from the Latin computāre, meaning to calculate or count.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, you might hear the phrase aprendí a mi aire, which translates to 'I learned at my own pace' or 'in my own way'. It conveys a similar sense of independence from a formal classroom.
Examples in context
- Aprendí a tocar la guitarra por mi cuentaI taught myself to play the guitar
- Aprendí por mi cuenta a tocar la guitarra.I taught myself to play the guitar.
- No fui a una escuela, aprendí por mi cuenta.I didn't go to a school, I taught myself.
- Aprendí por mi cuenta cómo programar.I taught myself how to program.
Example conversation
Lucía and Daniel are talking about their hobbies at a cafe.
- Lucía¿Fuiste a clases de cocina?Did you go to cooking classes?
- DanielNo, aprendí por mi cuenta.No, I taught myself.
- Lucía¡Qué increíble, Daniel!That's incredible, Daniel!
- DanielGracias, me gusta mucho la cocina.Thanks, I really like cooking.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuenta, mi, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
