Spanish grammar · Beginner
Aprender Conjugation: Every Tense with Examples
Aprender means to learn. Fully regular -er verb in every tense, present (aprendo, aprendes), preterite (aprendí), imperfect (aprendía), future (aprenderé). Aprender a + infinitive = to learn to do something.
Aprendo español.
I'm learning Spanish.
What it is
Aprender means to learn. Fully regular -er verb across every tense, present (aprendo, aprendes, aprende, aprendemos, aprendéis, aprenden), preterite (aprendí), imperfect (aprendía), future (aprenderé). Aprender a + infinitive = to learn to do something.
In Aprendo español (I'm learning Spanish), aprendo is the regular yo present. Aprender + subject directly, or aprender a + infinitive (Aprendo a tocar piano = I'm learning to play piano).
How to spot it
Fully regular in every tense. No stem changes, no spelling shifts.
- Aprendes rápido. — You learn fast.
- Aprendí mucho ayer. — I learned a lot yesterday.
- Aprenderemos juntos. — We'll learn together.
If you can conjugate comer, you can conjugate aprender, identical regular -er pattern.
Aprender Conjugation Quick Reference
Aprender at a glance, the most-used forms across tenses
| Person | Present | Preterite | Imperfect | Future | Subjunctive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | aprendo | aprendí | aprendía | aprenderé | aprenda |
| tú | aprendes | aprendiste | aprendías | aprenderás | aprendas |
| él/ella/Ud. | aprende | aprendió | aprendía | aprenderá | aprenda |
| nosotros | aprendemos | aprendimos | aprendíamos | aprenderemos | aprendamos |
| vosotros | aprendéis | aprendisteis | aprendíais | aprenderéis | aprendáis |
| ellos/Uds. | aprenden | aprendieron | aprendían | aprenderán | aprendan |
Common Aprender Conjugation Examples in Spanish
Aprender covers learning subjects, skills, languages, and lessons:
Learning Subjects / Languages
- Aprendo español.
- I'm learning Spanish.
- Aprenden matemáticas.
- They're learning math.
- Aprendí inglés en la escuela.
- I learned English at school.
Aprender + subject directly. Same construction as estudiar.
Learning Skills (Aprender A + Inf)
- Aprendo a tocar piano.
- I'm learning to play piano.
- Aprendió a manejar.
- She learned to drive.
- Aprendemos a cocinar.
- We're learning to cook.
Aprender a + infinitive = to learn to do a skill. The a is mandatory.
Learning Lessons / Wisdom
- Aprendí la lección.
- I learned my lesson.
- Hay que aprender de los errores.
- One must learn from mistakes.
- Aprendí mucho de él.
- I learned a lot from him.
Aprender de + person / source = learn from someone or something.
Past Habits (Imperfect)
- De niño aprendía rápido.
- As a kid, I used to learn quickly.
- Aprendían canciones nuevas cada semana.
- They used to learn new songs every week.
Imperfect for ongoing past learning processes.
How to Conjugate Aprender Across Tenses
Present, Fully Regular -er
All forms regular: aprendo, aprendes, aprende, aprendemos, aprendéis, aprenden.
Yo aprendo, tú aprendes, él aprende, nosotros aprendemos, vosotros aprendéis, ellos aprenden.
I learn, you learn, he learns, we learn, you all learn, they learn.
Same pattern as como, bebo, leo.
Preterite / Imperfect / Future, Regular
Preterite: aprendí, aprendiste, aprendió. Imperfect: aprendía. Future: aprenderé. All regular -er.
Aprendí mucho. Antes aprendía más. Aprenderé pronto.
I learned a lot. Before, I used to learn more. I'll learn soon.
No irregularities, among the cleanest verbs in Spanish.
Aprender + A + Infinitive
Aprender takes the preposition a before an infinitive: aprender a + inf = to learn to do something.
Aprendo a tocar guitarra. Aprendieron a nadar.
I'm learning to play guitar. They learned to swim.
The a is mandatory before the infinitive. Aprender tocar isn't grammatical.
Subjunctive, Regular
Present subjunctive: aprenda, aprendas, aprenda, aprendamos, aprendáis, aprendan.
Quiero que aprendas a hablar español.
I want you to learn to speak Spanish.
Regular subjunctive built from aprendo → aprend-.
Common Mistakes with Aprender Conjugation
Incorrect: Aprendo tocar guitarra. — I'm learning to play guitar. (wrong, needs a)
Correct: Aprendo a tocar guitarra. — I'm learning to play guitar.
Aprender + infinitive requires the preposition a. Aprender a tocar, never aprender tocar.
Incorrect: Aprendí Spanish. — I learned Spanish. (use Spanish word for the language)
Correct: Aprendí español. — I learned Spanish.
Language names in Spanish are lowercase (español, inglés, francés). Don't capitalize like in English.
Incorrect: Quiero que aprendes inglés. — I want you to learn English. (wrong, querer que triggers subjunctive)
Correct: Quiero que aprendas inglés. — I want you to learn English.
Querer que + different subject triggers subjunctive. Aprendas (subjunctive), not aprendes (indicative).
Aprender Across Every Tense
Fully regular -er verb in every simple and compound tense.
Present (Regular)
Fully regular -er.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
Same as como, bebo, leo.
Preterite (Regular)
Fully regular.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
Aprendí la lección = I learned my lesson.
Imperfect (Regular)
Regular -er imperfect.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
De niño aprendía rápido = As a kid I used to learn quickly.
Future, Conditional, Subjunctive
All regular.
| yo (future) |
| yo (conditional) |
| yo (present subjunctive) |
| yo (present perfect) |
Past participle aprendido is regular.
Aprender Conjugation FAQs
- What does aprender mean and when do you use it in Spanish?
- Aprender means to learn, subjects, languages, skills, lessons. Aprender a + infinitive = to learn to do something (Aprendo a nadar = I'm learning to swim). Aprender de = learn from (a person or experience).
- How does aprender conjugate in the present tense?
- Aprendo, aprendes, aprende, aprendemos, aprendéis, aprenden. Fully regular -er, no irregularities.
- Is aprender a regular verb?
- Yes, fully regular -er in every tense. No stem changes or spelling shifts.
- How do you say to learn to do something in Spanish?
- Aprender a + infinitive. Aprendo a tocar piano (I'm learning to play piano), Aprendieron a manejar (They learned to drive). The a is mandatory.
- How can I get better at conjugating aprender?
- Aprender is essential for language learners describing their own learning. Exposure to aprendo / aprendí / aprendía in real contexts is the fastest path. Parrot's daily videos feature aprender naturally.