difference between 배우기 and 배워요??
wouldn't the proper conjugation for the verb '배우다' be '배워요' (if speaking from a first person perspective, i.e.: 'i am learning')?? i believed this was the right conjugation and i even confirmed on dongsa, but naver translate is telling me that '배우기' is the proper way to conjugate 'learning.' is this an irregular/special case? or am i stupid and missing something very obvious?

Question

Answer

'배워요' is a present polite ending form which is conjugated with 배우다(to learn) + -어요. 
'배우기' is like a gerund in English which is conjugated with 배우다 (to learn) + -기.

Here are more examples of conjugation of -기. I put a '|' in between the verb stem and '다' for clarification.

먹|다 (to eat) : 먹 (verb stem) + -기 = 먹기 (eating)
마시|다 (to drink) : 마시(verb stem) + -기 = 마시기 (drinking)
공부하|다 (to study) : 공부하(verb stem) + -기 = 공부하기 (studying)

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Answer

learn : verb) 배우다
be learning : (present continuous) 배우고있어요, 배우는 중이에요,  배워요
learning : (gerund) 배우기