How to Say "grades" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “grades” is “notas” — use 'notas' when referring to the marks or scores a student receives on assignments, tests, or for a specific academic period like a semester or year..
notas
/NOH-tahs//ˈno.tas/
Examples
Mi profesor dijo que mis notas de este trimestre fueron excelentes.
My teacher said my grades this term were excellent.
Mi hijo sacó muy buenas notas este semestre.
My son got very good grades this semester.
Necesito que tomes notas de lo que decimos en la reunión.
I need you to take notes of what we say in the meeting.
El pianista tocó las notas equivocadas.
The pianist played the wrong notes.
Plural Form
This is the plural form of the feminine noun 'nota'. It works just like any other plural noun in Spanish.
Using 'notes' for 'banknotes'
Mistake: “Using 'notas' when referring to paper currency.”
Correction: While technically correct, it's much more common to use 'billetes' for paper money. Use 'billetes de 10 dólares'.
grados
/GRAH-dohs//ˈɡɾa.ðos/
Examples
Ella completó sus grados en la Universidad de Salamanca.
She completed her degrees at the University of Salamanca.
Ella tiene dos grados universitarios: uno en arte y otro en historia.
She has two university degrees: one in art and one in history.
El ascenso le dio un nuevo grado militar.
The promotion gave him a new military rank.
La quemadura fue de tercer grado y requirió mucha atención.
The burn was third-degree and required a lot of attention.
Using 'Obtener un Grado'
To talk about getting or earning a qualification, you typically use the verbs 'obtener' (to obtain) or 'sacar' (to get/pull out).
Confusing 'Grado' and 'Clase'
Mistake: “Mis grados en la escuela son muy buenos. (Referring to school marks)”
Correction: Mis notas/calificaciones en la escuela son muy buenas. 'Grado' refers to the qualification level (like a Bachelor's), not usually the individual marks/grades.
Notas vs. Grados
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