Nous apprenons à comprimer la plaie.

we

Breakdown of Nous apprenons à comprimer la plaie.

• à: to
• apprendre: to learn
• la plaie: the wound

Questions & Answers about Nous apprenons à comprimer la plaie.

Why is apprenons used here, and what tense is it?

Apprenons is the present tense of apprendre for nous (we).

So:

• j'apprends = I learn / I am learning
• tu apprends = you learn
• il/elle apprend = he/she learns
• nous apprenons = we learn / we are learning

In French, the present tense often covers both English we learn and we are learning, so the exact translation depends on context.

Why is there an à after apprenons?

Because apprendre à + infinitive means to learn how to do something or to learn to do something.

So:

• apprendre = to learn
• apprendre à faire quelque chose = to learn to do something

Examples:

• J'apprends à conduire. = I am learning to drive.
• Nous apprenons à comprimer la plaie. = We are learning to compress the wound.

This à is required before the second verb.

Why is comprimer in the infinitive form?