Languages › French The Irregular French Verb 'Apprendre' ('to Learn') Apprendre is conjugated like prendre and similar verbs Share Flipboard Email Print Godong / Getty Images French Grammar Pronunciation & Conversation Vocabulary Resources For Teachers By ThoughtCo Updated October 06, 2019 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 tricksÇa 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 Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation ThoughtCo. "The Irregular French Verb 'Apprendre' ('to Learn')." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/apprendre-to-learn-1369821. ThoughtCo. (2020, August 27). The Irregular French Verb 'Apprendre' ('to Learn'). Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/apprendre-to-learn-1369821 ThoughtCo. "The Irregular French Verb 'Apprendre' ('to Learn')." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/apprendre-to-learn-1369821 (accessed January 21, 2021). copy citation