英语短语 "learn of" 的核心含义是 “得知;获悉;听说”,强调通过某种途径(如他人告知、新闻、消息等)获取之前未知的信息或事实,侧重“被动知晓”某件事的存在,而非“主动学习”知识或技能。
“learn” 本身有“学习;学会”(主动获取知识)的意思,但加上介词 “of” 后,语义转向“知晓某件事”(被动接收信息)。
例如:
I learned English at school.(我在学校学了英语。——主动学习技能)
I learned of the English test from my classmate.(我从同学那里得知了英语考试的事。——被动知晓消息)
“learn of” 是 及物动词短语,后面需接 名词、代词或动名词(表示“得知的内容”),不能直接接从句(若要接从句,需去掉“of”,用“learn that...”)。
接名词:
We learned of the accident through the news.(我们通过新闻得知了那场事故。)
She learned of her grandmother’s illness yesterday.(她昨天得知奶奶生病了。)
接代词:
Did you learn of it from him?(你是从他那里得知这件事的吗?)
接动名词:
I learned of his leaving the company this morning.(我今早得知他要离开公司。)
常与表示“途径”的介词短语连用(如 from... 从...;through... 通过...;by... 靠...),说明“得知的渠道”:
He learned of the job opening from a recruitment website.(他从招聘网站得知了这个职位空缺。)
We learned of the victory through a text message.(我们通过短信得知了胜利的消息。)
过去式:learned of(美式)/ learnt of(英式)
They learned/learnt of the plan last week.(他们上周得知了这个计划。)
现在完成时:have/has learned of
She has just learned of her promotion.(她刚得知自己升职了。)
learn of vs. hear of:两者都有“听说”的意思,但 “learn of”更正式,侧重“通过具体途径确认信息”;“hear of”更口语,侧重“初步听说(可能未确认)”。
例如:
I heard of this restaurant from a friend.(我从朋友那里听说过这家餐厅。——初步知晓)
I learned of the restaurant’s closure from the local paper.(我从当地报纸得知这家餐厅关门了。——确认信息)
不能接从句:若要表达“得知(某事发生)”,需将从句转化为名词性结构(如动名词、名词短语),或去掉“of”用“learn that...”。
✅ I learned of his arrival.(我得知他来了。)
✅ I learned that he had arrived.(我得知他来了。)
❌ I learned of that he had arrived.(错误)
总结:“learn of” 是“得知某件事”的正式表达,后接名词性成分,强调通过具体途径获取未知信息,需与“learn(学习)”区分开。