Lernen vs. lehren vs. studieren vs. unterrichten
The German verbs lernen, lehren, studieren, and unterrichten all revolve around the concept of education, but they describe different roles and contexts. Lernen is about acquiring knowledge, lehren and unterrichten are about giving knowledge, and studieren refers specifically to higher education.
Lernen
A1This means to learn or to study. It is used from the perspective of the person who is acquiring a new skill or knowledge. It is the most general term and can be used for everything from learning a language to studying for a school test.
Ich muss für meinen Test lernen.
(I have to study for my test.)
Mein Sohn lernt gerade Fahrrad fahren.
(My son is currently learning to ride a bike.)
Sie lernt seit zwei Jahren Spanisch.
(She has been learning Spanish for two years.)
Aus Erfahrung lernt man am besten.
(One learns best from experience.)
Lehren
B1This means to teach. It is used from the teacher's perspective, often in a formal or academic context like a university. It can also be used in a more abstract sense, for example, when life teaches you a lesson. It is the direct counterpart to lernen.
Professor Schmidt lehrt Philosophie an der Universität.
(Professor Schmidt teaches philosophy at the university.)
Die Geschichte hat uns gelehrt, vorsichtig zu sein.
(History has taught us to be cautious.)
Meine Großmutter lehrte mich das Backen.
(My grandmother taught me how to bake.)
Er lehrt die Studenten die Grundlagen der Physik.
(He teaches the students the fundamentals of physics.)
Studieren
A2This means to study in the context of being enrolled at a university or college to pursue a degree. It describes the entire process of higher education in a specific field. It is not used for studying for a simple test in school.
Er studiert Informatik in München.
(He is studying computer science in Munich.)
Was hast du studiert?
(What did you study (at university)?)
Sie möchte nach dem Abitur Medizin studieren.
(She wants to study medicine after graduating from high school.)
Der Biologe studiert das Verhalten der Ameisen.
(The biologist is studying the behavior of the ants.)
Unterrichten
A2This also means to teach or to instruct, but it focuses on the practical activity of giving lessons, typically in a school or instructional setting. It is the most common verb for a teacher's job in primary or secondary school.
Herr Meier unterrichtet Deutsch und Geschichte.
(Mr. Meier teaches German and history.)
Sie unterrichtet eine Klasse mit zwanzig Schülern.
(She teaches a class of twenty students.)
Er unterrichtet Yoga am Abend.
(He teaches yoga in the evening.)
Ich werde heute Nachmittag nicht unterrichtet.
(I don't have lessons this afternoon.)
Summary
In short: Lernen is what a student does (to learn). Lehren and unterrichten are what a teacher does (to teach), with lehren being more formal or academic and unterrichten referring to the act of giving lessons. Studieren is specifically what a university student does (to study for a degree).