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clase

KLAH-seh/ˈklase/

class, lesson

Also: course
NounfA1
A teacher pointing at a large whiteboard while three young students sit attentively at their desks in a colorful classroom, depicting a scheduled lesson.

📝 In Action

Tengo clase de español a las diez.

A1

I have Spanish class at ten.

La clase de hoy fue muy interesante.

A1

Today's class was very interesting.

Me apunté a unas clases de baile.

A2

I signed up for some dance classes.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • lección (lesson)
  • asignatura (subject)

Common Collocations

  • dar clase – to teach a class
  • tomar/recibir clase – to take a class
  • compañero/a de clase – classmate
  • ir a clase – to go to class

classroom

NounfA2
SpainLatin America
An interior view of an empty, bright classroom with several small wooden desks and chairs neatly arranged facing a large window.

📝 In Action

Por favor, entren en la clase en silencio.

A2

Please, enter the classroom silently.

La clase tiene veinte pupitres y una pizarra blanca.

A2

The classroom has twenty desks and a whiteboard.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • aula (classroom)
  • salón (classroom (common in Latin America))

kind, type, sort

NounfB1
Three distinct, clearly separated piles of objects: one pile of red apples, one pile of yellow bananas, and one pile of green limes, illustrating different kinds or types of fruit.

📝 In Action

¿Qué clase de música te gusta?

A2

What kind of music do you like?

Este restaurante tiene toda clase de comida.

B1

This restaurant has all kinds of food.

Nunca he visto un animal de esa clase.

B2

I have never seen an animal of that type.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • tipo (type)
  • género (genre, kind)

Common Collocations

  • toda clase de – all kinds of
  • ninguna clase de – no kind of
  • qué clase de – what kind of

class

Also: style, quality
NounfB2
A very elegantly dressed person wearing a perfectly tailored suit and sophisticated scarf, standing confidently with excellent posture, symbolizing high quality and class.

📝 In Action

La película explora las diferencias entre la clase alta y la clase trabajadora.

B2

The movie explores the differences between the upper class and the working class.

Es una mujer con mucha clase y elegancia.

B2

She is a woman with a lot of class and elegance.

Nos alojamos en un hotel de primera clase.

B1

We are staying in a first-class hotel.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • clase alta / media / baja – upper / middle / lower class
  • clase obrera / trabajadora – working class
  • tener clase – to have class/style
  • de primera clase – first-class

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: clase

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'clase' to mean 'kind' or 'type'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
clasificar(to classify, to sort) — Verb
clasificación(classification, ranking) — Noun
clásico(classic) — Adjective / Noun
desclasado(a person who has moved away from their original social class) — Adjective / Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'classis,' which was a term for a division of the Roman people for military or tax purposes. This idea of a 'division' or 'group' expanded over time to mean a group of students, a category of things, and a social rank.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: classFrench: classeItalian: classe

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'clase' always feminine?

Yes, always! Even though it ends with an '-e', it's one of those words you just have to remember is feminine. So it's always 'la clase', 'una clase', 'esta clase', etc.

What's the difference between 'clase' and 'curso'?

'Clase' usually refers to a single lesson or the group of students. 'Curso' refers to the entire series of lessons, like a semester-long course. For example, 'Mi curso de español tiene veinte clases' (My Spanish course has twenty classes).

Can I use 'clase' to talk about my graduating class, like 'the class of 2025'?

While it would be understood, it's more common to use 'promoción' for that. You would say 'la promoción de 2025'. Using 'clase' usually refers to the students you have lessons with right now.