Learn / learn of

Question

Can we ever say "learn of something"?I suppose we learn a language or learn how to speak and so on.
What about we get to know something? We learnt the news.We learnt of the news.We learnt of his departure.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

healerCan we ever say "learn of something"?

Sure. Typically you use 'learn of' when you find out about something, find out about its existence, or find out some facts about it, but it's more formal than 'find out about'. (learnt = learned, by the way.)

healer1) We learnt the news.
2) We learnt of the news.
3) We learnt of his departure.

1) and 3) are typical. 2) is a bit strange.

We learned of the sale in a TV ad.
(We found out that there was going to be a sale. How? We saw it in a TV ad.)

She learned of the death of her brother on the battlefield through one of her cousins who had heard the news first.
(She found out that her brother had died on the battlefield. How? One of her cousins told her.)

When the general learned of the threats, he ordered round-the-clock protection for the village.
(When the general found out that threats had been made on the village, he ordered the protection.)

CJ

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