Inklingo
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clases

/KLAH-ses/

classes

A storybook illustration showing a friendly teacher standing next to a chalkboard, pointing to a simple drawing, while a few happy students sit at desks looking attentive during a lesson.

The image shows students attending a lesson, representing "clases" as educational periods.

clases(noun)

fA1

classes

?

educational periods or lessons

,

lessons

?

a period of teaching

Also:

instruction

?

general teaching

📝 In Action

Tengo clases de matemáticas todos los lunes por la mañana.

A1

I have math classes every Monday morning.

¿A qué hora terminan tus clases hoy?

A1

What time do your classes end today?

Ella da clases de piano a niños pequeños.

A2

She gives piano lessons to small children.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • lecciones (lessons)
  • asignaturas (subjects)

Common Collocations

  • dar clases – to teach/give classes
  • tomar clases – to take classes
  • horario de clases – class schedule

💡 Grammar Points

Always Plural for School

For educational lessons, 'clases' is almost always used in the plural, even if you are just talking about one subject. (e.g., 'Tengo clases de inglés' - I have English class.)

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Clase' for School Subjects

Mistake: "Hago una clase de español."

Correction: Tomo clases de español. (Use the plural 'clases' and the verb 'tomar' or 'tener'.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Giving vs. Taking

Use 'tomar' or 'tener' for taking classes, and 'dar' for teaching or giving classes.

A storybook illustration depicting four distinct types of simple, brightly colored flowers: a red rose, a yellow tulip, a white daisy, and a large orange sunflower, illustrating variety.

This variety of flowers illustrates the meaning of "clases" as different kinds or types.

clases(noun)

fB1

kinds

?

types or varieties

,

social classes

?

socio-economic groupings

Also:

categories

?

types of classification

📝 In Action

¿Qué clases de películas prefieres ver?

B1

What kinds of movies do you prefer to watch?

Existen diferentes clases sociales en la ciudad.

B2

Different social classes exist in the city.

Necesitamos analizar todas las clases de evidencia antes de decidir.

B2

We need to analyze all types of evidence before deciding.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • tipos (types)
  • variedades (varieties)

Common Collocations

  • clases de cosas – kinds of things
  • clases medias – middle classes

💡 Grammar Points

Using 'Qué clases de...'

This phrase is a natural way to ask 'What kinds of...?' when referring to categories or groups of items. It requires the plural 'clases'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Formal vs. Informal Classification

While 'tipos' (types) is very common, 'clases' often sounds slightly more formal or scientific when used to discuss different categories.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: clases

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'clases' to mean 'lessons'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

clase(class (singular)) - noun
clasificar(to classify) - verb
clasificación(classification) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I hear 'clases' (plural) so much more often than 'clase' (singular)?

When talking about school, 'clases' is the standard way to refer to your schedule or instruction ('I have classes'). The singular 'clase' is usually reserved for talking about one specific group of students ('the class is loud') or one specific lesson in isolation.