"Teach" is to pass knowledge to others; "learn" is to acquire knowledge yourself.
Verb. To transfer knowledge, skills, or instruction to another person. The subject is the one who knows and transmits. Synonyms: instruct, educate.
She has been teaching English for over twenty years.
Ella ha ensenado ingles por mas de veinte anos.
My father taught me how to cook when I was young.
Mi padre me enseno a cocinar cuando era pequeno.
He teaches mathematics at the local university.
El ensena matematicas en la universidad local.
Verb. To acquire knowledge, skills, or understanding through study, experience, or instruction received. The subject is the one who receives and absorbs.
She is learning Japanese in her free time.
Ella esta aprendiendo japones en su tiempo libre.
Children learn faster when they are having fun.
Los ninos aprenden mas rapido cuando se estan divirtiendo.
I learned a lot from that experience.
Aprendi mucho de esa experiencia.
Common mistake
The most classic error: "My teacher learned me English." Wrong — the teacher does not learn, they teach. Correct: "My teacher taught me English." The subject of "teach" is the one who already knows and transmits. The subject of "learn" is the one who does not yet know and acquires. Swapping them reverses the roles completely.
Trick to remember it
Ask yourself who knows and who does not. The one who ALREADY KNOWS and passes it to another = teach. The one who DOES NOT YET KNOW and receives it = learn. The teacher teaches, the student learns. They can never be in the same position for the same action. "I taught him" and "he learned from me" describe the same event from opposite perspectives.
Quick rule
Teach = to instruct others (you have the knowledge). Learn = to acquire knowledge (you receive it).
Did you know?
In Old English, "learn" meant both to learn and to teach — hence the error. Even Shakespeare used "learn" to mean "teach": "I'll learn you" meant "I will teach you." That usage is completely obsolete and incorrect today. And the irregular past: teach → taught (like buy → bought, bring → brought). "Learnt" is the past of "learn" in British English; American English prefers "learned."
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
My uncle _____ me how to play chess when I was seven years old.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
She is _____ to drive. She has her first lesson tomorrow.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Teach = to instruct others (you have the knowledge). Learn = to acquire knowledge (you receive it).
The most classic error: "My teacher learned me English." Wrong — the teacher does not learn, they teach. Correct: "My teacher taught me English." The subject of "teach" is the one who already knows and transmits. The subject of "learn" is the one who does not yet know and acquires. Swapping them reverses the roles completely.
Ask yourself who knows and who does not. The one who ALREADY KNOWS and passes it to another = teach. The one who DOES NOT YET KNOW and receives it = learn. The teacher teaches, the student learns. They can never be in the same position for the same action. "I taught him" and "he learned from me" describe the same event from opposite perspectives.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy