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Thread: Vocabulary: Teach Vs. Learn

  1. #1
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    Vocabulary: Teach Vs. Learn

    I am very confused by the words "To learn" and "To teach".
    I have used the dictionary at gramota.ru and it says:
    узнать: learn
    учить: teach
    What about учу? It's a form of учить, right? I've been told that "Я учу русский" means "I teach Russian" and also that it means "I learn Russian". How should I correctly say this phrase?

    I am very confused by these words. Can somebody explain? Thanks very much!

  2. #2
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    I learn russian = I study russian: Я учу (изучаю) русский.
    I teach russian: Я учу русскому, я преподаю русский.

    Узнать = to learn about something. It doesn't mean "to study".

  3. #3
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    Quick note: узнать (to find out) is the perfective partner of знать (to know)

    As for teach/learn, read Zubr's explanation, it depends on the context of your statement.

  4. #4
    Завсегдатай it-ogo's Avatar
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    We had another thread about that.

    In short there are different meanings of the verb "учить", which can be recognized by the case of objects.

    Я учу английский (accusative) - I learn/study English.

    versus

    Я учу английскому (dative) - I teach English.
    Я учу тебя (genitive) - I teach you.
    "Россия для русских" - это неправильно. Остальные-то чем лучше?

  5. #5
    Старший оракул tohca's Avatar
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    Я учу тебя (genitive) - I teach you.
    Sorry it-oto, just need to verify if the word тебя can also be in the accusative?
    Find out all about Malaysia here!

  6. #6
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    тебя is accusative and genitive.

  7. #7
    Завсегдатай it-ogo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tohca View Post
    Sorry it-oto, just need to verify if the word тебя can also be in the accusative?
    Hmm... I am confused.

    I think, I was wrong and it is accusative here, not genitive. So they are both accusative and direct objects (тебя и английский), the difference is in "animate" - "inanimate" sphere.
    "Россия для русских" - это неправильно. Остальные-то чем лучше?

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    Старший оракул tohca's Avatar
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    Спасибо. Сейчас ясно.
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