Learn vs Know vs Remember

Question

Hi everybody. Would you please be kind enough to explain WHEN TO USE the verbs lean, know and remember? For example, is it no matter if I switch?:

1.- We were all saddened to learn of her death =? We were all saddened to know of her death

2.- Where did you learn the news? =? Where did you know the news?

3.- We have yet to learn who will be the new manager =? We have yet to know who will be the new manager.

4.- What's the best way to learn a language? =? What's the best way to know a language

5.- The actor was busy learning her lines =? The actor was busy remembering her lines.

And thank you in advance!

Eladio

Dj Bueno · Accepted Answer

1.- We were all saddened to learn of her death or hear of her death

2.- Where did you learn the news?

3.- We have yet to learn who will be the new manager

4.- What's the best way to learn a language?

5.- The actor was busy learning her lines / The actor was busy remembering her lines. both are ok I think

Old Eladio · Answer

Well, well, well... English is English. It seems that those are the rules and that's that! What's there to say? I can easy understand that "4.- What's the best way to know a language" sounds strange, even to me, a Spanish speaker. But, related to 1, 2 and 3, I can't understand why cannot be switched. But, again, I'm a simple English learner, what to do?

Thank you, Bueno.

Eladio

Clive · Answer

Hola Eladio,

Sometimes these words are just used idiomatically, sometimes some of them can be interchanged in certain contexts, but here are a few general comments.

First you learn, then you know. After I learned to drive, I knew how to drive.

'To remember' is to maintain something in your mind, in your memory. I remember the first time that I met you, my love. Or, it can be the act of calling back into your active mind something 'buried' in your mind. Where did I put my keys? Hmmm. Ah, now I remember. They are on my desk.

To consciously place something specific into your memory is to memorize it. Thus, an actor can learn his lines, or you could say memorize his lines. Then, when he walks on to the stage, he tries to remember his lines.

Best wishes, Clive

Old Eladio · Answer

Hi Clive, here I am, again. Thank you for your comments. Yes, interresting point: First you learn, then you know..., and I would agree: then you remember, really? I answered to your most recent email to me. Best wishes,

Eladio

CalifJim · Answer

Eladio,

Does it help to think of the difference between know and learn (or find out) as similar to the difference between sabía and supo?

CJ

Old Eladio · Answer

Hello CJ:

No, unfortunately, it does not. "sabía" and "supo" are two diferent past forms of the same verb "saber" (to know), something like "used to know, or knew, if you knew-sabía something during a long time"; and "knew, if you knew-supo about sonething in a certain moment". Thank you for the attempt!!! I appreciate that.

Eladio

CalifJim · Answer

But to learn something - to come to know it for the first time at a certain moment - can in fact be expressed as supo!

He [learned / found out] the answer yesterday. (not "knew") Lo supo ayer. This supo cannot be translated as knew.
He already knew the answer. (not "learned" or "found out") Ya lo sabía. This sabía cannot be translated as learned or found out.

That's the way it was once explained to me, anyway.

In English, you learn something at a point in time; you know something continuously over a period of time. (In Spanish, both meanings can be expressed with the same verb.)

But in any case, if it doesn't help you to think of it that way, then you can ignore my suggestion!

CJ

Marius Hancu · Answer

Old EladioBut, related to 1, 2 and 3, I can't understand why cannot be switched.

Because learn has here the meaning of
obtaining for the first time the information,
while know means
that you already have/possess the information.

------
learn

3 : to find out : ASCERTAIN, HEAR<I learn that he will arrive shortly> <what have you learned about this matter>

---------

Old Eladio · Answer

Hello, CJ! Now I’ve understood what you mean. Somehow, yes, you are right. Here we have two points to be considered:

1.- Sabía and Supo are two past forms of the SAME Spanish verb Saber (know)

2.- Your explanation, has helped me a lot in that way, now I’ve understood that Learn can be translated to Spanish as ENTERARSE and as APRENDER as well. In fact, if we learn about something, that is, if we come to know, we are “enterándonos de algo” (learning about something) for the first time at a certain moment. So, your “He [learned / found out] the answer yesterday” can be: “Se enteró ayer”, or “Lo supo ayer”, as you said. Now, “He already knew the answer” can be: Ya sabía la respuesta (I do not like your translation: “Ya lo sabía”), but we both used “sabía”, which is the important thing to consider here, really?

This thread has made me to look deeply at all these “close” verbs and now I have learned (he aprendido) that I can perfectly differentiate between: learn, find out, hear of, get to know, know, remember and understand.

The Marius Hancu comments were very important too.

Thank you again, CJ, I’ve highly appreciated your posts,
Eladio

CalifJim · Answer

Eladio,

Sorry, I was too lazy to look up the word for answer, so I threw in a pronoun instead!

Note that other stative verbs have similar "problems" going between the two languages.
No quería and No quiso are another good example. didn't want vs. refused (to) / wouldn't.

CJ

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