Inklingo

How to Say "you learned" in Spanish

English → Spanish

aprendiste

/ah-pren-DEES-teh//apɾenˈdiste/

verbA1informal
Use 'aprendiste' when referring to the acquisition of knowledge, a skill, or a fact through study or experience, implying a process or a completed action in the past.
A colorful illustration of a child successfully placing the final piece into a wooden jigsaw puzzle, signifying a moment of understanding or learning.

Examples

¿Qué aprendiste en la clase de historia ayer?

What did you learn in history class yesterday?

Aprendiste a cocinar muy rápido, ¡felicidades!

You learned to cook very quickly, congratulations!

Después del error, aprendiste la lección, ¿verdad?

After the mistake, you learned the lesson, right?

The Simple Past (Preterite)

This form tells you that the learning action started and finished at a specific point in the past. It describes a completed event.

The 'tú' Form

The '-iste' ending always signals that the action was done by 'tú' (you, informal) in the simple past tense. It's a key pattern to recognize.

Confusing Past Tenses

Mistake: “¿Qué aprendías en la escuela?”

Correction: ¿Qué aprendiste en la escuela? The '-ías' form (Imperfect) is for ongoing or repeated past actions, but for a single, completed moment of learning, use '-iste' (Preterite).

supiste

soo-PEES-teh/suˈpiste/

verbA2informal
Use 'supiste' when you mean 'you found out' or 'you discovered' information, often suddenly or unexpectedly, rather than through a learning process.
A colorful storybook illustration showing a young person with an expression of sudden realization. A bright, glowing yellow lightbulb is floating directly above their head, signifying the moment knowledge was acquired.

Examples

¿Cuándo supiste la verdad sobre el proyecto?

When did you find out the truth about the project?

Finalmente supiste cómo arreglarlo, ¿no?

You finally figured out how to fix it, didn't you?

Si supiste de ese problema, ¿por qué no dijiste nada?

If you knew about that problem (when it happened), why didn't you say anything?

The 'Tú' Form

This word is used when speaking informally to one person you know well (the 'tú' form). It means 'you' did the action.

Preterite Tense: Finding Out vs. Knowing

The past action 'supiste' (preterite) almost always means 'you found out' or 'you learned' at a specific moment. If you want to say 'you knew' over a long, undefined period, you must use the imperfect tense: 'sabías'.

Irregular Verb Stem

The verb 'saber' is irregular in this past tense. Its stem changes completely from 'sab-' to 'sup-'. You just have to memorize this change!

Using the wrong past tense

Mistake: “¿Sabías cuándo llegó?”

Correction: ¿Supiste cuándo llegó? (Did you find out when he arrived?) The action of finding out is a single, completed event.

Confusing 'saber' and 'conocer'

Mistake: “¿Supiste a María?”

Correction: ¿Conociste a María? ('Saber' is for facts/skills; 'conocer' is for people, places, or being familiar with something.)

Aprendiste vs. Supiste: Learning vs. Finding Out

The most common mistake is using 'aprendiste' when you mean 'found out'. Remember, 'aprendiste' implies a process of learning or acquiring a skill, while 'supiste' refers to the moment you became aware of something.

Related Translations

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