Inklingo

How to Say "class" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “class” is “clase” — use 'clase' for a scheduled lesson or academic period, or to refer to a social or economic group.

English → Spanish

clase

KLAH-sehˈklase

NounA1 / B2General
Use 'clase' for a scheduled lesson or academic period, or to refer to a social or economic group.
A teacher pointing at a large whiteboard while three young students sit attentively at their desks in a colorful classroom, depicting a scheduled lesson.

Examples

Tengo clase de español a las diez.

I have Spanish class at ten.

La clase de hoy fue muy interesante.

Today's class was very interesting.

Me apunté a unas clases de baile.

I signed up for some dance classes.

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

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

It's a Feminine Noun

Even though 'clase' doesn't end in '-a', it's a feminine word. So, you always say 'la clase' (the class) or 'una clase' (a class). Never 'el clase'.

'Clase' vs. 'Lección'

Mistake: “Using them in exactly the same way all the time.”

Correction: 'Clase' is better for the scheduled event ('Tengo clase a las 3'). 'Lección' is better for the specific unit of study ('Hoy estudiamos la lección 5'). But in many situations, they can overlap.

lección

NounA1General
Use 'lección' to refer to a specific, individual learning session or topic covered.

Examples

La primera lección de español es muy fácil.

The first Spanish lesson is very easy.

categoría

NounB1General
Use 'categoría' when classifying or dividing items, concepts, or products into distinct groups.

Examples

Los productos se dividen en tres categorías: A, B y C.

The products are divided into three categories: A, B, and C.

familia

fa-MEE-lee-ahfaˈmi.lja

NounB2General
Use 'familia' to indicate that something belongs to a larger group or classification, especially in academic or linguistic contexts.
A majestic lion standing side-by-side with a majestic tiger in a jungle clearing, representing a shared scientific classification.

Examples

El español pertenece a la familia de las lenguas romances.

Spanish belongs to the family of Romance languages.

Los leones y los tigres son de la misma familia.

Lions and tigers are from the same family.

Este software viene con una nueva familia de tipografías.

This software comes with a new family of fonts.

estrato

es-TRA-tohesˈtɾato

NounB2Formal
Use 'estrato' to refer specifically to a social or economic level within a population, often implying a layer or tier.
A slice of a tall cake showing several distinct, colorful horizontal layers of different flavors.

Examples

Esta ley beneficia a los estratos más pobres de la población.

This law benefits the poorest layers (strata) of the population.

El arqueólogo encontró restos antiguos en el tercer estrato de la excavación.

The archaeologist found ancient remains in the third layer of the excavation.

Hoy el cielo está cubierto por un estrato gris.

Today the sky is covered by a gray stratus cloud.

Always Masculine

The word 'estrato' is masculine. Even when talking about society ('la sociedad'), you must use masculine markers: 'el estrato' or 'un estrato'.

Describing the layer

In Spanish, we usually put the description (adjective) after the word. For example, 'estrato bajo' (low layer) or 'estrato alto' (high layer).

Estrato vs. Estatus

Mistake: “Using 'estrato' to mean personal prestige.”

Correction: Use 'estrato' for a group or layer of people, and 'estatus' for an individual's social standing or prestige.

distinción

NounC1Formal
Use 'distinción' to describe a high level of social standing, elegance, or refined taste.

Examples

Ella viste con mucha distinción.

She dresses with a lot of elegance.

Confusing 'Clase' and 'Lección'

The most common mistake is using 'clase' when you mean a specific learning session. Remember, 'clase' is the general term for a scheduled class period, while 'lección' refers to the content or a single instance of teaching/learning.

Related Translations

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