Inklingo

How to Say "lesson" in Spanish

English → Spanish

lección

nounA1/B1general
Use this word for a specific period of instruction, a teaching unit, or a moral learned from an experience.

Examples

La lección de hoy es sobre el subjuntivo.

Today's lesson is about the subjunctive.

clase

KLAH-sehˈklase

nounA1general
Use this word to refer to a scheduled session or a course of study, essentially a 'class'.
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

Mi clase de cocina empieza en cinco minutos.

My cooking class starts in five minutes.

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.

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.

enseñanza

nounB1general
Use this word when referring to the moral, lesson, or teaching derived from an experience or story.

Examples

La vida me ha dado una dura enseñanza.

Life has given me a hard lesson.

tema

TEH-mahˈte.ma

nounB1academic
Use this word to refer to a specific topic or unit within a larger subject of study, like a chapter or module.
A vertical stack of three simple, colorful textbooks, where the top book is slightly elevated and separated from the rest of the stack, indicating a distinct unit.

Examples

El próximo tema del libro es la Revolución Francesa.

The next topic in the book is the French Revolution.

Para el examen de mañana, hay que estudiar los tres primeros temas.

For tomorrow's exam, you have to study the first three units.

Hoy vamos a empezar un tema nuevo en la clase de historia.

Today we are going to start a new lesson in history class.

Distinguishing 'Lección' and 'Clase'

Learners often confuse 'lección' and 'clase'. Remember that 'clase' refers to the event of the class itself (like 'class time'), while 'lección' refers to the content taught or a specific instructional period within that class.

Related Translations

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