What is the difference between learn and study?

Study means working on a subject: you read books, take notes, attend lessons. Learn means gaining knowledge or a skill.

• study biology — to take biology as a subject of study
• learn a new word — to get to know a new word
• learn to drive — to gain the skill of driving

Learn English and study English are both correct. The first stresses the learning; the second stresses the work you do for it.

I studied for two hours, but I still haven't learned these words.

It is possible to study for two hours and still not have memorised the words. That is why the two words do different jobs in the sentence.

My sister is studying medicine. She is learning how to examine patients.

The first sentence names a field of study, the second a specific skill.

Choose the more suitable word.

1. I want to learn / study to swim.
2. She is learning / studying engineering at university.

Add when and how you study to the sentence “I study English”.