How to pronounce learn
Say it like LURN. Learn is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce learn. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LURN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Learn pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LURNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of learn
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: LURN.
What does learn mean?
- gain knowledge or skills“She learned dancing from her sister”“I learned Sanskrit”
- get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally“I learned that she has two grown-up children”“I see that you have been promoted”
- commit to memory; learn by heart“Have you memorized your lines for the play yet?”
Where does learn come from?
Cognate with Old Frisian lernia, lerna (“to learn”), Middle Low German lernen (“to learn", also, "to teach”), Middle Dutch leernen (“to learn", also, "to teach”) (whence Dutch lernen (“to study scripture”)), German lernen (“to learn”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with learn
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of learn.
Questions about saying learn
How do you pronounce learn?
Say LURN. The American pronunciation is /lɝn/. In British English it is /lɜːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in learn?
Learn is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: LURN.
Is learn pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /lɜːn/ (LURN).