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- @ Would You Teach Me The Differentce Between "Learn"and "Know" わかった
@ Would You Teach Me The Differentce Between "Learn"and "Know" わかった
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I have no idea how many times I've got corrections on my usuage of "know" and "learn" in my journals.
In my last entry, I made the same job of it too.
The original sentence that was corrected is; I was impressed to "know" that it(the book) was filled with lots of new information for me.
When I was torn between using "know" and using "learn", I used "learn" most of the time; however, I found myself at a loss as to when I could use "know."
1. I learned that she had already been to the place I visited last month.
2. I knew that she had already been to the place I visited last month.
3. I was surprised to learn that you had such a big house!
4. I was surprised to know that you had such a big house!
Would you teach me which is correct, and tell me the reason if there is.
Thank you!
In my last entry, I made the same job of it too.
The original sentence that was corrected is; I was impressed to "know" that it(the book) was filled with lots of new information for me.
When I was torn between using "know" and using "learn", I used "learn" most of the time; however, I found myself at a loss as to when I could use "know."
1. I learned that she had already been to the place I visited last month.
2. I knew that she had already been to the place I visited last month.
3. I was surprised to learn that you had such a big house!
4. I was surprised to know that you had such a big house!
Would you teach me which is correct, and tell me the reason if there is.
Thank you!


When you learn something you go from not knowing something to knowing it it. When you say that you know something, you are not stating when or how you came to know it, just that you do know it. Do you understand the slight difference?
So both 1 and 2 are correct, but they mean different things. 1 says that you just found out she visited the place, but 2 says that you already knew.
3 is correct, but 4 is not. If you already know something, it can't surprise you. That's why you have to use learn in that sentence, because it was the action of finding the fact out that caused surprise, not knowing the fact.
Erik,
Ahshi,
What I "learned" from your comment is that the word "know" indicates the situation of knowing, not action.
Thank you for visiting here and answering my question!!!
I apprecite that!
ありがとう!
I think in common parlance, both expression are used.
I was surprised to learn that he had died.
I was surprised to know that he had died.
I don't think I would blink at the latter sentence, but maybe you're right... :/
Creature,
Thank you for taking your time to help me solve my problem!!!
Would you please give me one or two more examples to use both "surprise" and "know" together?
I actually don't know when I can use "know." Wait a min. Now, I used it! lol
A.I was happy to know/learn that you had been doing well.
B.I was surprised to know/learn that you had been doing well.
Even if there are differences in nuance, can I use both in both sentences?
ほんとに力になってくれてありがとう。
Thank you for coming here again, and thinking about it for me!!!
In ex B, both are fine to me, but learn sounds better, for the reason neel gave.
Thank you very much for making it clear!!!
Examples are really helpful!
ありがとう!
What's confusing you is the differences between the verb 「知る」 in Japanese and the verb "know" in English.
"I know (that) X" corresponds to 「Xを知っている」; similarly, "I knew (that) X" corresponds to 「Xを知っていた」.
To say 「Xを知った」 you need to say something like "I found out (that) X" or "I learned (that) X".
Yes, yes and yes!
My dictionary teaches me that both words can be translated as 知る。 I was confused.
Your explanation spelled it out loud and clear!
Your Japanese helped me with my understanding too.
ありがとう!
;)
Thank you for sharing the nice entry! It's really helpful!
I learned other ways to say "知った”in his journal, which was "found out" and "came to know."
I came up with another question myself, which is the difference between "learned" and "found out". I should study it!
Tony san may become a linguistic scholar some day! (^^)
Thanks!!!
Tony,
I have never connected the word "learn" to those expressions together; "find out" and "discover."
Thank you so much for teaching me the different ways to say!!!
I think I prefer to use 'find out' than 'learn' in these examples.
1. I found out that she had already been to the place I visited last month.
3. I was surprised to find out that you had such a big house!
I think the difference between 'to find out' and 'to learn' is that 'to find out' something happens more suddenly than learning it.
It also suggests that you hadn't been meaning to find it out, it just happened.
For example, if somebody mentions something in a conversation:
*The day before*
Anna: My dog ruined the top I bought yesterday!
(You didn't know she had a dog)
*Present day*
You: Yesterday I found out that Anna has a dog.
Or if you go to someone's house:
*See that they have 2 cars.*
*Later on*
You: I was surprised to find out you have 2 cars.
It isn't wrong to use 'to learn' but I think this is used more.
To learn - 習う
Thank you very much for your concrete explanation!!!
The examples you gave me really help with my understandning!
I've totally forgotten the expression "find out" recently, and focused on the words "learn" and "know."
Yes, learn seems to be translated as 習う、学ぶ and 知る。The 知る confused me a lot.
I will practice to use "find out" more, meanwhile, maybe I will understand how to use "know" properly.
ありがとう!
I'm going to find out who is responsible for the death of my child if it's the last thing I do.
Could you do an internet search for me and find out who wrote the passage "there is nothing to fear but fear itself"?
That's why I shied away from explaining the nuances of the various expressions-- there is in fact a lot of overlap between them.
That's true, Tony. Maybe I should have explained it better. ^^;. Hopefully it is more clear for mirai now. ^^
Your journal and all the comments everyone contributed are a good example of what a great learning community we have at Lang-8. I just happened to notice this and it made me happy that I'm part of this community too. ^_^
(sorry, this didn't really have anything to do with your question, but I think that everyone already did such a great job helping you ... And incidentally I learned some things too from it ^_~)
I have just come back from a family meeting, and logged on Lang-8. I was surprised to find out that so many people visited my journal entry, had a think about my question and answered it.
How wonderful it is, and how happy I am!!!
You got a lot of good answers (^_^)
I think so too!
Now I printed it out, and I will read all the answers thoroughly.
読んで、理解するのに時間がかかるの。 これも読解のいい勉強になるね。
Would You Teach Me the Difference Between "Learn"and "Know" わかった
I have no idea how many times I've got corrections on my usage of "know" and "learn" in my journals.
When I was torn between using "know" and using "learn", I used "learn" most of the time; however, I found myself at a loss as to when I could use "know."
This is something that is really confusing for English people learning Japanese too. Most of the time, you can think of it like this:
知る=Learn (or "find out")
知っている=Know
Wow! Finally, I received corrections!!! I'm happy, thank you so much!
Thank you so much for your short, but very clear answer too!!!
mirai,
I saw a lot of good feedback to your questions already so I thought I'd add a couple of alternate expressions.
Someone wrote "find out" for a "learned" substitute which I agree with. Another substitute is "hear/heard".
"I learned that she had already been to the place I visited last month."
*I heard that she had already been to the place I visited last month.
*I found out that she had already been to the place I visited last month.
"I was surprised to learn that you had such a big house!"
*I was surprised to hear that you had such a big house!
*I was surprised when I heard that you had such a big house!
*I was surprised to find out that you had such a big house!
You can also you (discover/discovered) in place of (hear/heard - find/find out), but I think (discover/discovered) is more for when you (yourself) find something without hearing about it from another person like, "I discovered a new artist on Youtube the other day."
Thank you so much for organizing those examples for me!!!
I got good answers from each person, but it was not easy for me to put them into shape.
Now I understand it clearly because of the list you made for me!!!
ありがとうございます!!!