učit se
[ˈut͡ʃɪt ˈsɛ]word by word
To learn in Czech is učit se.
The phrase učit se is used to describe the general process of acquiring knowledge or ability. It is also the standard way to express the verb 'to study', such as when studying a specific subject or preparing for an exam.
Meaning: to acquire knowledge or ability (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally composed of the verb učit (to teach) and the reflexive pronoun se (oneself), which implies one is teaching oneself.
Which one should you use?
While učit se refers to the general process of learning or studying, the related form naučit se is also commonly used in everyday conversations to express the act of learning.
How does it change in a sentence?
Be careful with the reflexive pronoun: the reflexive form učit se means 'to learn', whereas the non-reflexive form učit means 'to teach'.
Did you know?
- Czech has a specific word for 'learning by heart' or 'rote memorization', biflovat, which is used colloquially by students instead of the formal učit se.
- The reflexive pronoun se in učit se descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *swé, which is the ancestor of the English word 'self'.
- The word učit is shared across many Slavic languages, meaning that a Czech speaker can often be understood by Poles or Slovaks when discussing education.
Examples in context
- Mám velkou motivaci učit se francouzsky.I'm very motivated to learn French.This example shows how to express motivation for learning a language using učit se.Tatoeba #8364296 by Ergulis, translation #8364035 by CK
- Učit se nový jazyk po padesátce není tak lehké.It's not that easy to learn a new language after fifty.This sentence uses učit se to discuss the difficulty of learning a new language at a certain age.Tatoeba #11565961 by aldar, translation #371589 by saeb
- Nejlepší způsob, jak se učit nový jazyk, je učit se ho jako děti.The best way to learn a new language is to learn like children.This sentence demonstrates how to use učit se when describing the best way to learn a language.Tatoeba #8199546 by Ergulis, translation #8199479 by josivangoncalves
- Chci se naučit česky.I want to learn Czech.
- Poučil jsem se z knihy.I learned from the book.
- Učím se nový jazyk.I'm learning a new language.
- Nauč se hrát na kytaru!Learn to play the guitar!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “learn” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (učit, se) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries se, učit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
