The Irregular French Verb 'Apprendre' ('to Learn')

Apprendre, which commonly means "to learn," is a frequently used irregular French -re verb. Irregular verbs do not follow regular conjugation patterns, but some verbs within an irregular verb group can share a conjugation pattern with at least one other verb.

There are patterns for irregular French -re verbs, and the irregular verb apprendre is in one of those groups. All verbs like apprendre that end in -prendre are conjugated the same way. The verbs in this group drop the "d" in all three plural forms and take a double "n" in the third person plural form.

Verbs Ending in -prendre

All French verbs that end in -prendre are conjugated the same way as apprendre and prendre:

• apprendre: "to learn"
• comprendre: "to understand"
• entreprendre: "to undertake"
• méprendre: "to mistake"
• prendre: "to take"
• reprendre: "to retake" or "to take again"
• surprendre: "to surprise"

Meanings and Uses

In use, apprendre means "to learn." The pronominal s'apprendre, means "to be learned," as in:

• Le style, ça ne s'apprend pas: "Style can't be learned"

Apprendre can also mean "to tell," as in:

• Apprendre quelque chose à quelqu'un: "to teach something to someone"

And "to hear," as in:

• Qu'est-ce que j'apprends, vous démissionnez ?: "What's this I hear about you resigning?"

Idiomatic Expressions

• On en apprend tous les jours: "You can learn something new every day"
• Tiens, tiens, on en apprend des choses !: "Who'd have thought such a thing!"
• N'apprend pas à un vieux singe à faire la grimace: (proverb) Don't teach an old dog new tricks
• Ça lui apprendra !: That'll teach him!
• Apprendre quelque chose par cœur: "learn something by heart/rote"
• Apprendre à être patient: "to learn patience"
• On apprend à tout âge: "It's never too late to learn"
• Apprendre lentement/vite: "to be a slow/fast learner"

Simple Conjugations

	Present	Future	Imperfect	Present participle
j'	apprends	apprendrai	apprenais	apprenant
tu	apprends	apprendras	apprenais
il	apprend	apprendra	apprenait
nous	apprenons	apprendrons	apprenions
vous	apprenez	apprendrez	appreniez
ils	apprennent	apprendront	apprenaient

Passé composé
Auxiliary verb	avoir
Past participle	appris

	Subjunctive	Conditional	Passé simple	Imperfect subjunctive
j'	apprenne	apprendrais	appris	apprisse
tu	apprennes	apprendrais	appris	apprisses
il	apprenne	apprendrait	apprit	apprit
nous	apprenions	apprendrions	apprimes	apprissions
vous	appreniez	apprendriez	apprites	apprissiez
ils	apprennent	apprendraient	apprissent

	Imperative
tu	apprends
nous	apprenons
vous	apprenez