In learning the German language, there are two verbs that are needed by every beginner and sound extremely similar to English: lernen and studieren. However, as is often the case, the usage of these verbs is not identical to how "to learn" and "to study" are used in English.

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The verb lernen means to acquire new information just like it does in English. 

Wir haben eigentlich viel gelernt von unserem Papa.

We actually learned a lot from our dad.

Caption 92, 3nach9 Ehrlich Brothers: Show-Magier

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Ja, ich habe auch selbst viel Neues darüber gelernt.

Yes, I have learned a lot of new things about it myself.

Caption 8, Bundesländer und ihre Rezepte: Mecklenburg Vorpommern

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However, the verb lernen also refers to studying for a class or preparing for an exam. When you do your German homework, you don't say Ich studiere Deutsch, but instead Ich lerne Deutsch. 

Zwinge dich nicht dazu, stundenlang am Schreibtisch zu sitzen und zu lernen.

Don't force yourself to sit at a desk and study for hours.

Captions 58-59, Deutsch für Anfänger: Sprachlerntipps

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Ich habe gerade für die nächste Geschichtsarbeit gelernt.

I was just studying for the next history paper.

Caption 62, Der kleine Nick: Nachmittag bei Adalbert

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So, when is studieren used? You will generally hear it when the act of studying at an institution, like a college or university, is being discussed. If you talk about your major, where you went to school, or when you were enrolled, you will use studieren. 

Was studierst du hier an der Universität in Karlsruhe? Ich studiere Geoökologie.

What do you study here at the university in Karlsruhe? I study geoecology.

Captions 8-9, Geoökologie Cettina interviewt Sarah

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Nein, ich habe schon in Spanien zwei Semester Jura studiert.

No,  I already studied law in Spain for two semesters.

Caption 7, Nicos Weg: Am Bankautomaten

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Further Learning
You can find more examples of the difference between how these two verbs are used on Yabla German. But also try writing your own sentences: Where have you studied? What subjects have you studied? What did you learn? What are you studying for right now? 

We know you're learning German, but what other subjects have you studied? Even if you're not currently in school, it's always interesting to talk with people about what they studied, and which subjects are still relevant to their lives today. 

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First, we can start with the natural sciences and the applied sciences, respectively called die Naturwissenschaften and die angewandten Wissenschaften in German. 

Jan hat heute seine Physikarbeit zurückbekommen.

Jan got his physics paper back today. 

Caption 2, The Simple Physics: Schrödingers Katze

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Ja, das ist Mathematik oder Mathe.

Yes, this is mathematics or math.

Caption 8, Deutsch mit Eylin: Denk schnell!

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...das heißt wir gewinnen zusätzlich noch in dem Bereich Biologie auch eine gewisse Kapazität.

...which means we also gain a certain capacity in the field of biology.

Caption 40, Für Tierfreunde: Przewalski-Wildpferde

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Ich habe schnell gemerkt, dass mich Elektrotechnik sehr interessiert

I quickly noticed that electrical engineering really interests me.

Caption 10, Deutsche Welle: Lieber Ausbildung als Studium

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In these next captions, you will find some fields that relate to the social sciences, or die Sozialwissenschaften, and the world of business. 

Ja? Das wäre so eine Geschichte, ähm, mit interdisziplinärem Input aus der Sportwissenschaft, der Sportmedizin, der Psychologie und der Soziologie.

Yes? That would be something, um, with interdisciplinary input from sport sciences, sports medicine, psychology, and sociology.

Captions 65-66, TEDx: Lebenslange Fitness

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Ich hab schon in Spanien zwei Semester Jura studiert.

I already studied law in Spain for two semesters.

Caption 7, Nicos Weg: Am Bankautomaten

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Ich studiere Wirtschaft und arbeite in einem Café.

I study economics and work in a café.

Caption 27, Magie: Die Zaubershow

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The humanities, or die Geisteswissenschaften, include history, languages, literature, philosophy, and often the arts as well. For more on the arts, you can refer to two recent lessons, one which covered the visual arts, and the other on the performing arts. 

Kunstgeschichte wird ja von Kunsthistorikern gemacht. Da haben Sie recht, das waren immer Männer.

Art history is written by art historians. You are right about that, those were always men.

Caption 25, Malerei: Impressionistinnen

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Interessierst du dich für Literatur?

Are you interested in literature?

Caption 9, Nicos Weg: Das macht mir Spaß!

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Further Learning
Based on what you read above and have found on Yabla German, see if you can figure out the meanings of the following: die Politikwissenschaft, die Kulturwissenschaft, die Religionswissenschaft. Some disciplines, like die Philosophie, die Geografie, die Geologie, die Anthropologie, or die Medizin, have similar names to their English counterparts and may be easy to identify. And then, of course, some subjects have simply adopted the English term, such as das Marketing and das Management.