Meaning & use
learn the ropes
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiom
To gradually find out how things are done in a new job or situation.
Grammar: The ropes stays plural and fixed; the verb changes: learned the ropes, learning the ropes.
Patterns
- learn the ropes of something
- show someone the ropes
- learn the ropes at somewhere
It took me a month to learn the ropes at the new office.
A mentor helped her learn the ropes of teaching.
New volunteers will learn the ropes by shadowing experienced staff.
Word forms
| third person singular | learns the ropes |
|---|---|
| past tense | learned the ropes |
| past participle | learned the ropes |
| -ing form | learning the ropes |
Common combinations
- show someone the ropes
- Could you show the new intern the ropes?
- still learning the ropes
- I am still learning the ropes, so please be patient.
- quickly learn the ropes
- He quickly learned the ropes and was promoted.
- learn the ropes of the job
- She learned the ropes of the job in a week.
Synonyms and how they differ
- get the hang of
- Get the hang of often refers to one skill, whereas learn the ropes covers the general routines of a whole role.
- find your feet
- Find your feet stresses becoming comfortable and confident, while learn the ropes stresses finding out the procedures.
- get up to speed
- Get up to speed is more businesslike and suggests catching up on information.
Word family
- rope noun
- thick cord, the origin of the idiom from sailing ships
- the ropes noun
- the established procedures of a place or job
- learner noun
- person who is learning
- know the ropes phrase
- to be experienced in how things work
Commonly confused: learn the ropes or learn the ropes vs know the ropes?
learn the ropes vs learn the ropes vs know the ropes
Learn the ropes describes the process of finding out, while know the ropes describes already having the experience.
Practice
The new nurse spent her first week ___ the ropes on the ward.
Choose one answer.
Learning the ropes is the idiom for becoming familiar with a new job. Teaching would need someone else as the object, and the others do not form the idiom.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “learn the ropes”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.