learn the hard way

learn (something) the hard way

and find (something) out the hard way

to learn something by experience, especially by an unpleasant experience. (As opposed to learning in school, from reading, etc.) She learned how to make investments the hard way. I wish I didn't have to learn things the hard way. I found out the hard way that it's difficult to work and go to school at the same time.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Boyko	-	Bulgarian
Tzeitel	-	Yiddish
Gittel	-	Yiddish
Alexander	a-lig-ZAN-dər (English), ah-lek-SAHN-der (German), ah-lək-SAHN-dər (Dutch), AW-lek-sawn-der (Hungarian)	English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient
Manyara	-	Southern African, Shona
Gervasius	-	Ancient Germanic (Latinized)