leren

Dutch

Alternative forms

• leeren

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈleːrə(n)/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: le‧ren
• Rhymes: -eːrən

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch leren, from Old Dutch lēren, from Proto-West Germanic *laiʀijan, from Proto-Germanic *laizijaną.

Verb

leren

1. (transitive, intransitive) to learn, to study
2. (transitive) to teach

Conjugation

Conjugation of leren (weak)
infinitive	leren
past singular	leerde
past participle	geleerd
infinitive	leren
gerund	leren n
	present tense	past tense
1st person singular	leer	leerde
2nd person sing. (jij)	leert, leer2	leerde
2nd person sing. (u)	leert	leerde
2nd person sing. (gij)	leert	leerde
3rd person singular	leert	leerde
plural	leren	leerden
subjunctive sing.1	lere	leerde
subjunctive plur.1	leren	leerden
imperative sing.	leer
imperative plur.1	leert
participles	lerend	geleerd
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.

Synonyms

• (to learn): studeren, kennis opdoen, oppikken, opsteken, blokken (informal)
• (to teach): aanleren, onderwijzen

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “to learn”): afleren (“to unlearn”), vergeten (“to forget”)
• (antonym(s) of “to teach”): afleren (“to correct (a bad habit)”)

Derived terms

• aanleren
• afleren
• beleren
• bijleren
• doorleren
• geleerd
• jong geleerd is oud gedaan
• leergeld
• leerjaar
• leerkracht
• leerling
• leerplicht
• leraar
• lerares
• lering
• op een oude fiets moet je het leren
• verleren

Descendants

• Afrikaans: leer
• Berbice Creole Dutch: lere
• Negerhollands: leer, le, lie
• Skepi Creole Dutch: lear, lair
• → Saramaccan: léi, leren
• → Sranan Tongo: leri

Noun

leren

1. plural of leer

Etymology 2

Contraction of lederen, from Middle Dutch lederijn, lederen (but also already leren). Equivalent to leer +‎ -en.

Alternative forms

• lederen (somewhat archaic)

Adjective

leren (not comparable)

1. made of leather

Declension

Declension of leren
uninflected	leren
inflected	leren
comparative	—
		positive
predicative/adverbial		—
indefinite	m./f. sing.	leren
	n. sing.	leren
	plural	leren
definite		leren
partitive		—

Galician

Verb

leren

1. inflection of ler:
   1. third-person plural future subjunctive
   2. third-person plural personal infinitive

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch lēren

Verb

lêren

1. to learn
2. to teach
3. to tell

Inflection

Conjugation of lêren (weak)

infinitive	base form	lêren
	genitive	lêrens
	dative	lêrene
		indicative			subjunctive
		present	past		present	past
1st person singular		lêre	—		lêre	—
2nd person singular		lêers, lêres	—		lêers, lêres	—
3rd person singular		lêert, lêret	—		lêre	—
1st person plural		lêren	—		lêren	—
2nd person plural		lêert, lêret	—		lêert, lêret	—
3rd person plural		lêren	—		lêren	—
		imperative
singular		lêer, lêre
plural		lêert, lêret
		present	past
participle		lêrende	—

Descendants

• Dutch: leren
• Limburgish: lieëre

Further reading

• “leren (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “leren (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I

Middle English

Etymology

From Old English lǣran (“to teach”); see learn (“teach”) (etymology 2) for more.

Verb

leren

1. to teach or instruct
   • 14thC, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canon's Yeoman's Prologue and Tale, from The Canterbury Tales,

     He hath take on him many a great emprise,
     Which were full hard for any that is here
     To bring about, but they of him it lear.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. to guide or lead

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *laiʀijan, from Proto-Germanic *laizijaną.

Verb

lēren

1. to learn
2. to teach

Inflection

infinitive	lēren
indicative	present	past
1st person singular	lēro, lēron	lērida
2nd person singular	lēris, lērist	lēridos
3rd person singular	lērit	lērida
1st person plural	lēren	lēridun
2nd person plural	lērit	lēridut
3rd person plural	lērent	lēridun
subjunctive	present	past
1st person singular	lēre	lēridi
2nd person singular	lēres, lērest	lēridis
3rd person singular	lēre	lēridi
1st person plural	lēren	lēridin
2nd person plural	lēret	lēridit
3rd person plural	lēren	lēridin
imperative	present
singular	lēri
plural	lērit
participle	present	past
	lērendi	lērit, gilērit

Conjugation of lēren (weak class 1)

Descendants

• Middle Dutch: lêren
  • Dutch: leren
  • Limburgish: lieëre

Further reading

• “lēren”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old High German

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *laiʀijan, from Proto-Germanic *laizijaną, from *laizō (“lore”).

Akin to Old Saxon lērian, Old Dutch lēren, Old English lǣran, Old Norse læra, Gothic 𐌻𐌰𐌹𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (laisjan).

Verb

lēren

1. to teach

Descendants

• Middle High German: lēren
  • Alemannic German:

    Italian Walser: lére, leire, lerä

  • German: lehren
  • Luxembourgish: léieren

See also

• lernēn