verb

lehren

teach

Definition & meaning

The verb lehren refers to the act of imparting knowledge, skills, or instruction to someone. It is typically used in the context of formal education, professional training, or teaching someone a specific lesson or habit.

To teach: To provide instruction to students or individuals, usually in an academic or structured setting (e.g., teaching a subject at a university).
To teach a lesson: Often used in a metaphorical sense (e.g., "das Leben lehrt einen") to describe how experiences or circumstances provide someone with wisdom or force them to learn from their mistakes.

Grammar & Word origin

Lehren is a regular weak verb.

Present tense: ich lehre, du lehrst, er/sie/es lehrt.
Past tense (Präteritum): ich lehrte.
Past participle: gelehrt.

It is a transitive verb, often used with two accusative objects in German (e.g., "Ich lehre dich die Wahrheit" - "I teach you the truth").

Etymology: The word originates from the Old High German lēren, which is related to the Gothic laisjan (to cause to know). It shares the same Germanic root as the word lernen (to learn), representing the active side of the learning process.