Past participle for lean

[Aliciaanne]

Is the past participle for lean and learn different in England than it is in America?
is it leant or leaned? Learnt or learned?
Thank you.

 

[bhaisahab]

Generally speaking it's "leant" and "learnt" in BrE. I believe that the "ed" form is usual in AmE.

 

[SoothingDave]

That is correct. "Leant" is very odd to me.

 

[emsr2d2]

Here are some of the similar differences (if that's not impossible!) which have cropped up on the site in the past:


BrE: learn > learnt
AmE: learn > learned
BrE: spell > spelt
AmE: spell > spelled
BrE: lean > leant
AmE: lean > leaned
BrE: earn > earnt (there has been dissention from other BrE speakers about this one.
AmE: earn > earned
BrE: smell > smelt
AmE: smell > smelled
BrE: spill > spilt
AmE: spill > spilled
BrE: spoil > spoilt
AmE: spoil > spoiled

There are more.

 

[Raymott]

The BrE variants above are also used in AusE, though we say 'earned''. But there are certainly enough analogies for 'earnt' to be acceptable.

 

[SoothingDave]

About the only variant I can imagine using is "burnt" in certain situations. I might complain that my toast is burnt. I would never say that a building is burnt.

 

[MikeNewYork]

We also use "burnt" with some colors, such as burnt orange and burnt sienna.

 

[emsr2d2]

About the only variant I can imagine using is "burnt" in certain situations. I might complain that my toast is burnt. I would never say that a building is burnt.

I would say that a building had burnt down.

 

[SoothingDave]

I would say that a building had burnt down.

And I would say "burned down."