Swedish

Noun

lära c

1. a scientific branch, a theory
2. a creed, a doctrine, a tenet
3. an apprenticeship

Declension

Related terms

Etymology 2

From late Old Norse læra, lǽra, from Old Saxon lērian, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *laizijaną.

Verb

lära ‎(present lär, preterite lärde, supine lärt, imperative lär)

1. to teach, to instruct

   Min vän lär mig franska.

   My friend is teaching me French.

2. to learn, to study

   Jag lär mig franska.

   I am learning French.

Conjugation

Usage notes

The verb lära requires the presence of two objects; who is learning and what is being learnt. If the one who is learning is the same as the subject of the clause, the reflexive pronoun sig oneself must be placed immediately after the verb, and the construction is understood as to learn or study. If however the one who is learning is not the same as the subject of the clause, the construction is understood as to teach or instruct. In both cases the subject/matter being learnt must follow.

If who is learning is the same as the subject (co-referential), the source of the knowledge being imparted may be specified by a prepositional phrase headed by either av or från. If this source is an active instructor, av is preferred, and if a passive source; then från is the preferred choice.

• Jag lär mig franska av min vän.

  I am learning French from my friend.

• Jag lär mig franska från en bok.

  I am learning French from a book.

If the source of knowledge is practice or another activity, this may be conveyed through a subordinate clause, headed by genom:

• Jag lär mig franska genom att prata med en vän.

  I am learning French by talking to a friend.

Related terms

• läraktig
• lärare
• lärarinna
• lärbrev
• lärd
• lärdom
• lärgirig
• lärgosse
• lärjunge
• lärling
• lärpenningar
• lärpojke

Verb

lära

1. be said to

   Han lär ha berättat det för henne igår

   He is said to have told her yesterday

2. certainly have to, certainly must, should

   Nu lär du springa om du ska hinna dit före åtta

   Now you'll certainly have to run if you are to get there before eight o'clock.

Usage notes

This lära is used only or almost only in the present tense (lär). To express was said to or certainly had to one would use another verb. Infinitive constructions like att lära ha berättat (to be said to have told) might be theoretically possible but is never or extremly seldom seen.

References

• Lära in Svenska Akademiens ordlista öfver svenska språket (6th ed., 1889)