étudier

Étudier is a French verb meaning to study, to devote time to learning or examining a subject in depth. It covers studying for exams, researching, or acquiring knowledge through systematic study.

The verb derives from Old French estudier, from Latin studere, related to studium in the sense of zeal or application. It is a regular verb of the first conjugation, ending in -er.

In the present tense the forms are: j'étudie, tu étudies, il/elle étudie, nous étudions, vous étudiez, ils/elles étudient. The past participle is étudié, and many compound tenses use avoir as an auxiliary: j'ai étudié. The imperfect is j'étudiais, tu étudiais, il étudiait, nous étudiions, vous étudiez, ils étudiaient. The future is j'étudierai, tu étudieras, il étudiera, nous étudierons, vous étudierez, ils étudieront. The present subjunctive is que j'étudie, que tu étudies, qu'il étudie, que nous étudiions, que vous étudiiez, qu'ils étudient. The imperative forms are étudie, étudions, étudiez.

Étudier is transitive: on étudie quelque chose, as in J'étudie le français. It can also occur with phrases like étudier à l'université or étudier en France. The verb is often contrasted with apprendre, where étudier emphasizes systematic study and mastery, while apprendre stresses acquiring new knowledge or skills, sometimes through instruction.

Related terms include étude (a study, an area of study) and étudiant/étudiante (student).