"study" or "learn"

[hilaryy]

Can someone point me in the direction of a very clear and detailed explanation of when to use "learn" and when to use "study."

For example:
Q: What did you do last night?
A: I learned English.

That was fast! What the kid wants to say is "I studied English."
But how can I help him understand why he should use "study" instead of "learn" here? Is there a set of rules posted somewhere on the Internet about this usage? Trying to piece it together myself is giving me a headache.

Thank you,
Hilary

[Casiopea]

"study" doesn't imply that you actually learned something. "I learned English" is fine, although it is ambiguous. It could mean [a] I learned the entire English language in one night or [b] I understand what was taught. To learn something means to know it, whereas to study something doesn't necessarily mean you understand it. You could study something and still not understand it/know it.

Hope that helps.