lección
“lección” means “lesson” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
lesson
Also: class, lecture
📝 In Action
La primera lección de español es muy fácil.
A1The first Spanish lesson is very easy.
Tenemos que estudiar la lección cinco para el examen.
A2We have to study lesson five for the test.
El profesor dio una lección magistral sobre la historia del arte.
B1The professor gave a master class (or lecture) on art history.
lesson
Also: teaching, moral
📝 In Action
Lo que pasó fue una gran lección de humildad.
B1What happened was a great lesson in humility.
Aprendí la lección: nunca más confiaré en él.
B1I learned my lesson: I will never trust him again.
La derrota sirvió como una lección importante para el equipo.
B2The defeat served as an important lesson for the team.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: lección
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'lección' to mean a moral or experience gained?
📚 More Resources
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'lectio', which originally meant 'reading' or 'selection'. It evolved to mean the text that was read aloud in a religious service or class, eventually becoming the modern meaning of a unit of instruction.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
¿Es correcto decir 'tomar una lección'?
Sí, es perfectamente correcto. 'Tomar una lección' means 'to take a lesson' (as a student), while 'dar una lección' means 'to give a lesson' (as a teacher).
If I want to talk about a university lecture, should I use 'lección'?
You can, but for large, formal academic speeches, 'conferencia' or 'ponencia' are often more common and sound more professional. 'Lección' is usually best for standard classroom teaching or tutoring.