Inklingo

How to Say "lessons" in Spanish

English → Spanish

clases

/KLAH-ses//ˈklases/

nounA1general
Use 'clases' when referring to a scheduled period of instruction or a specific course, like a school class or a tutoring session.
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.

Examples

Tengo clases de matemáticas todos los lunes por la mañana.

I have math classes every Monday morning.

¿A qué hora terminan tus clases hoy?

What time do your classes end today?

Ella da clases de piano a niños pequeños.

She gives piano lessons to small children.

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.)

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'.)

lecciones

lehk-SYOH-nes/lekˈsiones/

nounA1general
Use 'lecciones' when referring to specific units of teaching, discrete teaching sessions, or metaphorical lessons learned from experiences.
A colorful illustration showing a teacher pointing to an open book while several young students listen intently, representing a unit of instruction.

Examples

El fracaso nos da lecciones más valiosas que el éxito.

Failure gives us more valuable lessons than success.

Hoy tenemos tres lecciones de matemáticas y una de historia.

Today we have three math lessons and one history lesson.

¿Cuántas lecciones quedan antes del examen final?

How many lessons are left before the final exam?

Una de las grandes lecciones de la pandemia fue la importancia de la familia.

One of the great lessons of the pandemic was the importance of family.

Plural of 'Lección'

The singular form is 'lección,' which ends in '-ción.' When making this word plural, you add '-es' and the accent mark disappears: 'lección' becomes 'lecciones.'

Verbs for Learning

When talking about life lessons, you typically use 'aprender' (to learn) or 'sacar' (to draw/get) with 'lecciones'.

Incorrect Gender

Mistake: “Los lecciones”

Correction: Las lecciones. Remember that 'lección' is always a feminine word, so it must be used with feminine words like 'las' or 'estas.'

Clases vs. Lecciones

The most common mistake is using 'lecciones' for scheduled school periods. Remember, 'clases' refers to the actual class time or course, while 'lecciones' often implies a specific topic within a class or a lesson learned from life.

Related Translations

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