Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| учи́ть | učítʹ | transitive |
| учи́ться | učítʹsja |
The verb is used to describe the acquisition of knowledge or abilities, but the choice of form depends on whether you are focusing on the process of being a student or the specific subject being mastered or memorized. For example, учи́ть что-то can mean to learn something by heart or to memorize specific information.
Which one should you use?
The intransitive form учи́ться is used when the focus is on the general process of studying or the act of being a student. In contrast, the transitive form учи́ть is used when you are learning a specific subject, such as a language or when you are teaching someone else.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are stating your status as a student or specifying where you study, such as учи́ться в университе́те (to study at a university), you must use the reflexive form учи́ться.
How do you pronounce it?
učítʹ
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse these two forms. Use учи́ться to describe the general state of being a student, and use учи́ть when there is a direct object of what is being learned.
Did you know?
- The phrase учи́ть наизу́сть describes learning something 'by heart', but literally translates to learning 'from the outside'.
- Because учи́ть can mean 'to teach', a misunderstanding can occur if you say Я учу́ его (I am teaching him) instead of Я учу́сь у него́ (I am learning from him).
- In a classroom setting, a student might be told учи́сь!, which is not just an instruction to study, but a common way to tell someone to 'take a lesson' from a mistake.
Examples in context
- Я учу русский язык.I am learning Russian.
- Он учится в университете.He is studying at the university.
- Она выучила новую песню на гитаре.She learned a new song on the guitar.
- Мы выучили все главы книги.We learned all the chapters of the book.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “learn” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
