Introduction
Aprender means “to learn”, and it is one of the verbs you will use every day in Spanish. Aprender is the verb for learning a language: Spanish, English, French. The language is the direct object, with no preposition. Aprender a + infinitive means to learn to do something: to swim, to drive, to cook. The a is part of the structure. This page shows aprender in real sentences, in short dialogues, and in the mistakes learners make most often, and it finishes with a ten-question quiz so you can test yourself. Every sentence below comes with its English translation, and every form is the correct present-tense form unless the sentence is clearly marked as past or future. For a first taste: “Yo aprendo español.” — I am learning Spanish.
Aprender in real example sentences
The twelve sentences below are grouped by how aprender is used. Read each one out loud, then read the translation. If a sentence feels useful, copy it into your own notebook with one small change — a different time, a different person, a different place — and you have a new sentence of your own.
In the present: everyday use
These sentences use aprender in the present tense, which is how you will meet it most often: routines, facts, and things happening now.
“Yo aprendo español.” — I am learning Spanish.
“¿Tú aprendes a nadar?” — Are you learning to swim?
“Mi hijo aprende a leer.” — My son is learning to read.
“Nosotros aprendemos con el profesor.” — We learn with the teacher.
Talking about the past
The present is not the only tense you need. These sentences show aprender in the past, so you can talk about what already happened.
“Ayer yo aprendí una palabra nueva.” — Yesterday I learned a new word. (preterite)
“Yo aprendía español cuando vivía en Madrid.” — I was learning Spanish when I lived in Madrid. (imperfect)
Plans and things already done
These sentences look forward, or look back at something already finished. Notice how the verb form changes while the meaning of aprender stays the same.
“Nosotros aprenderemos a nadar en verano.” — We will learn to swim in summer. (future)
“¿Tú has aprendido mucho este año?” — Have you learned a lot this year? (present perfect)
More everyday uses
Four more present-tense sentences, covering the remaining persons, so you can see the whole table in action.
“Vosotros aprendéis inglés en la escuela.” — You learn English at school.
“Ellos aprenden a cocinar.” — They are learning to cook.
“Yo aprendo de mis errores.” — I learn from my mistakes.
“El niño aprende rápido.” — The child learns quickly.
Aprender in context
Single sentences teach you the forms. Dialogues teach you when to use them. Read the short conversation below, then the paragraph that follows, and notice how aprender appears naturally, without anyone stopping to think about conjugation.
A short dialogue
Ana: “¿Tú aprendes a nadar?” — Are you learning to swim?
Luis: “Sí, yo aprendo español.” — Yes, I am learning Spanish.
Ana: “Nosotros aprendemos con el profesor.” — We learn with the teacher.
Luis: “Y ellos aprenden a cocinar.” — And they are learning to cook.
Ana: “Vosotros aprendéis inglés en la escuela.” — You learn English at school.
Luis: “Sí, y mi hijo aprende a leer.” — Yes, and my son is learning to read.
A short paragraph
Ana aprende español, y su hijo aprende a leer. Nosotros aprendemos con el profesor, y ellos aprenden a cocinar. Yo aprendo de mis errores, y el niño aprende rápido. Aprender is part of every day, because learning a language, learning to do something and learning from mistakes are all part of the same verb.
Common mistakes with aprender
These are the errors learners actually make with aprender. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.
Wrong: “Yo aprendo nadar.” Right: “Yo aprendo a nadar.” Why: Aprender + infinitive needs the preposition a: aprendo a nadar, not aprendo nadar. Dropping the a is a direct transfer from English, where 'learn to swim' keeps the to, but Spanish needs its own a.
Wrong: “Ellos aprende a cocinar.” Right: “Ellos aprenden a cocinar.” Why: Ellos needs the ellos form aprenden. The singular aprende belongs with él, ella or a singular noun such as mi hijo.
Wrong: “Yo aprendo español ayer.” Right: “Ayer yo aprendí una palabra nueva.” Why: The present tense cannot describe a finished action yesterday. Ayer forces the preterite, so the form must change to aprendí, and the sentence needs a finished object, such as una palabra nueva.
Wrong: “Nosotros aprendes con el profesor.” Right: “Nosotros aprendemos con el profesor.” Why: Nosotros needs aprendemos. The tú form aprendes belongs with tú.
Wrong: “Ellos aprendo todos los días.” Right: “Ellos aprenden todos los días.” Why: The verb must agree with its subject. Ellos needs the ellos form aprenden, not the yo form aprendo. This is the most common agreement slip in the present tense, and it happens because learners memorise the yo form first and then reuse it for every person.
Quiz: aprender in use
Ten questions on aprender in real sentences. Choose the correct answer for each one, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained.
1. Complete the sentence: “Vosotros ______ inglés en la escuela.” (You learn English at school.)
- (a) aprendes
- (b) aprendéis
- (c) aprendo
Answer: aprendéis — The vosotros/as form of aprender in the present tense is aprendéis.
2. Complete the sentence: “Ellos ______ a cocinar.” (They are learning to cook.)
- (a) aprenden
- (b) aprendo
- (c) aprendes
Answer: aprenden — The ellos/ellas/Uds. form of aprender in the present tense is aprenden.
3. Complete the sentence (preterite): “Ayer yo ______ una palabra nueva.” (Yesterday I learned a new word.)
- (a) aprendiste
- (b) aprendió
- (c) aprendí
Answer: aprendí — In the preterite, the yo form of aprender is aprendí.
4. Complete the sentence (imperfect): “Yo ______ español cuando vivía en Madrid.” (I was learning Spanish when I lived in Madrid.)
- (a) aprendía
- (b) aprendía
- (c) aprendías
Answer: aprendía — In the imperfect, the yo form of aprender is aprendía.
5. Complete the sentence (future): “Nosotros ______ a nadar en verano.” (We will learn to swim in summer.)
- (a) aprenderemos
- (b) aprenderé
- (c) aprenderás
Answer: aprenderemos — In the future, the nosotros/as form of aprender is aprenderemos.
6. What does aprender mean in English?
- (a) to finish, to end
- (b) to serve
- (c) to learn
Answer: to learn — Aprender means “to learn”. The other options are the meanings of different verbs.
7. Which sentence is correct?
- (a) Yo aprendo a nadar.
- (b) Yo aprendo nadar.
- (c) Ellos aprende a cocinar.
Answer: Yo aprendo a nadar. — “Yo aprendo a nadar.” is correct. The other two sentences contain the mistakes explained in the section above.
8. How do you say “I learn from my mistakes.” in Spanish?
- (a) Yo aprenden de mis errores.
- (b) Yo aprendo de mis errores.
- (c) El niño aprende rápido.
Answer: Yo aprendo de mis errores. — “Yo aprendo de mis errores.” is the correct translation. The second option means something different, and the third uses the wrong person's form.
9. What is the nosotros form of aprender in the present tense?
- (a) aprendo
- (b) aprendes
- (c) aprendemos
Answer: aprendemos — The nosotros form is aprendemos.
10. Which of these sentences is in the present tense?
- (a) Ayer yo aprendí una palabra nueva.
- (b) Nosotros aprenderemos a nadar en verano.
- (c) Yo aprendo español.
Answer: Yo aprendo español. — “Yo aprendo español.” is in the present tense. The other two are in the preterite and the future.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'I am learning Spanish' in Spanish?
Say 'Aprendo español'. The language follows directly with no preposition. For a routine: 'Aprendo español todos los días'.
How do you say 'to learn to swim' in Spanish?
Say 'aprender a nadar'. In the present: '¿Tú aprendes a nadar?' The a is part of the structure and must not be dropped.
Can aprender be used with de?
Yes. Aprender de + person or thing means to learn from someone or something: 'Aprendo de mis errores' (I learn from my mistakes). It is how you describe the source of what you learn.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of aprender — every tense of aprender in one place.
- Aprender in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Spanish verbs — the hub for every Spanish verb on VerbFlow.
- Verb quiz — test yourself on aprender and other verbs.
- Conjugation practice — drill the forms of aprender until they are automatic.