Lesson in Different Languages
Discover 'Lesson' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A 'lesson' is more than just a unit of teaching or a piece of advice; it's a powerful tool for personal growth and cultural exchange. Lessons have shaped civilizations, influenced societal norms, and transformed individuals throughout history. Understanding the translation of 'lesson' in different languages can provide valuable insights into various cultures and broaden your horizons.
For instance, the German translation, 'Lektion,' reflects their punctuality and discipline in education. Meanwhile, the French translation, 'leçon,' highlights their appreciation for structured learning and eloquence. In Japanese, 'leson' is 'レッスン (reson),' emphasizing their focus on precision and dedication to mastering new skills.
Explore the fascinating world of 'lessons' in different languages and cultures. Discover how this simple word can open doors to understanding and unity.
Lesson
Lesson in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | les | ||
| In Afrikaans, "les" also refers to a university lecture or a period of instruction in a school or university. | |||
| Amharic | ትምህርት | ||
| Hausa | darasi | ||
| The Hausa term darasi ultimately derives from the Arabic "dars" (lecture, lesson), introduced to the language via Islamic education. | |||
| Igbo | ihe | ||
| "Ihe" also means "thing" or "object" in Igbo. | |||
| Malagasy | lesona | ||
| Malagasy word "lesona" came from the French language which is also pronounced the same way | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | phunziro | ||
| The word 'phunziro' also means 'to learn' or 'to study' in Nyanja. | |||
| Shona | chidzidzo | ||
| "Chidzidzo" may also refer to knowledge, wisdom, guidance, or training. | |||
| Somali | cashar | ||
| "Cashar" is also a term for a monetary or material reward | |||
| Sesotho | thuto | ||
| The word "thuto" can also refer to teachings or knowledge gained from experience or study. | |||
| Swahili | somo | ||
| Somo can also mean subject, class, or session in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | isifundo | ||
| The Xhosa word "isifundo" can also mean "the act of learning" or "education". | |||
| Yoruba | ẹkọ | ||
| Ẹkọ literally means 'to know', and may refer to training, knowledge acquired through study, skill, craft, occupation, etc. | |||
| Zulu | isifundo | ||
| In Zulu, 'isifundo' also refers to a type of traditional dance and song. | |||
| Bambara | kalansen | ||
| Ewe | nufiafia | ||
| Kinyarwanda | isomo | ||
| Lingala | liteya | ||
| Luganda | essomo | ||
| Sepedi | thutwana | ||
| Twi (Akan) | adesuadeɛ | ||
Lesson in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | درس | ||
| The word "درس" also means "to study" or "to learn" in Arabic, and is related to the word "مدرسه" (school). | |||
| Hebrew | שיעור | ||
| The word "שיעור" (lesson) also means "measure" or "proportion" in Hebrew, reflecting its historical use in measuring the amount of Torah or Talmud studied by a student during a session. | |||
| Pashto | درس | ||
| The Pashto word "درس" can also refer to a sermon or a religious teaching. | |||
| Arabic | درس | ||
| The word "درس" also means "to study" or "to learn" in Arabic, and is related to the word "مدرسه" (school). | |||
Lesson in Western European Languages
| Albanian | mësim | ||
| "Mësim" is cognate to many Slavic languages, where it has the same meaning, and may be itself derived from Latin "missa." | |||
| Basque | ikasgaia | ||
| "Ikasgaia" means both "lesson" and "field of knowledge," highlighting the integral approach to education in Basque culture. | |||
| Catalan | lliçó | ||
| The word "lliçó" can also mean "sermon" or "lecture", and it comes from the Latin word "lectio", meaning "reading". | |||
| Croatian | lekcija | ||
| The word "lekcija" in Croatian has multiple etymological origins, including Latin, Greek, and Slavic, with possible alternate meanings such as "lecture" or "reading". | |||
| Danish | lektie | ||
| Lektie is derived from Swedish and was originally used to describe a reading or text read aloud by the teacher. | |||
| Dutch | les | ||
| The name of the river Lesse and some Dutch first names like Leslie derive from the word les. | |||
| English | lesson | ||
| The word 'lesson' stems from the Latin word 'legere,' meaning 'to read' or 'to choose,' reflecting its original use in describing sections of religious texts. | |||
| French | leçon | ||
| The French word "leçon" also means a "reading" and derives from the Latin "lectio" (reading). | |||
| Frisian | les | ||
| In Frisian, "les" can also refer to a specific time or occasion, such as a "reading les" (reading time) or a "sang les" (singing time). | |||
| Galician | lección | ||
| The Spanish word "lección" comes from the Latin word "lectio", meaning "reading", and still retains that meaning in Galician, where it can refer to a reading from the Bible during worship. | |||
| German | lektion | ||
| In German, "Lektion" is derived from the Latin word "lectio", meaning "reading," and can also refer to a religious reading or passage. | |||
| Icelandic | kennslustund | ||
| 'Kennslustund' means 'lesson' in Icelandic, and it is composed of the words 'kennsla' (knowledge) and 'stund' (period). | |||
| Irish | ceacht | ||
| The word "ceacht" can also mean "a reproof" or "a warning". | |||
| Italian | lezione | ||
| Deriving from Latin "lectio," "lezione" in Italian also means "reading" within a musical context | |||
| Luxembourgish | lektioun | ||
| The word "Lektioun" is derived from the Latin word "lectio", meaning "reading". | |||
| Maltese | lezzjoni | ||
| The word "lezzjoni" also refers to a biblical reading in the Maltese language. | |||
| Norwegian | lekse | ||
| The word "lekse" derives from the Old Norse word "lausa", meaning "to loosen up" or "to break up". This reflects the idea of breaking down knowledge into smaller, manageable parts for learning. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | lição | ||
| The Portuguese word "lição" may also refer to a sermon, a reading from scripture, or a reprimand. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | leasan | ||
| The Gaelic word leasan also means a "forfeit" or "penalty". | |||
| Spanish | lección | ||
| The word "lección" in Spanish derives from the Latin word "lectio", meaning "reading, study, or passage". | |||
| Swedish | lektion | ||
| The word 'lektion' stems from the Latin word 'lectio', meaning 'reading' or 'instruction'. | |||
| Welsh | gwers | ||
| The Welsh word "gwers" also has the connotation of "verse" or "song" due to its Proto-Celtic root, "wers-." | |||
Lesson in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | урок | ||
| The Belarusian word "урок" also means "fate" or "destiny." | |||
| Bosnian | lekcija | ||
| "Lekcija" derives from the Latin word "lectio" meaning "a reading" or "a passage selected to be read" | |||
| Bulgarian | урок | ||
| In Bulgarian, "урок" can also mean a "lesson to be learned," similar to its English cognate "lesson." | |||
| Czech | lekce | ||
| The word "lekce" is derived from the Latin word "lectio," meaning "reading," and can also refer to a religious scripture or a lecture. | |||
| Estonian | õppetund | ||
| Originally, 'õppetund' did not imply the meaning of teaching but referred to the learning itself. | |||
| Finnish | oppitunti | ||
| The word "oppitunti" is a compound word consisting of "oppi" (knowledge) and "tunti" (hour). | |||
| Hungarian | lecke | ||
| "Lecke" derives from the medieval German "lekzie" and refers to a religious text for reading aloud. | |||
| Latvian | nodarbība | ||
| "Nodarbība" (lesson) originates from the Latvian word "darbs" (work), suggesting that learning is a form of work. | |||
| Lithuanian | pamoka | ||
| "Pamoka" also means "a reprimand, a scolding" in Lithuanian. | |||
| Macedonian | лекција | ||
| The word "лекција" derives from the Latin "lectio" and also means "reading". | |||
| Polish | lekcja | ||
| "Lekcja" comes from the Latin word "lectio", which means "reading" or "study." | |||
| Romanian | lecţie | ||
| The Romanian word "lecție" can also refer to a religious sermon or a reprimand. | |||
| Russian | урок | ||
| "Урок" (lesson) derives from the Proto-Slavic word "*orkъ", meaning "a share of the harvest" or "a task", hence its extended meaning as a school lesson. | |||
| Serbian | лекција | ||
| "Лекција" comes from the Greek word "лексикон" (lexicon), a collection of words and their definitions. | |||
| Slovak | lekcia | ||
| The Slovak word "lekcia" originally meant "healing" or "cure" and is related to the word "liečiť" (to heal). | |||
| Slovenian | lekcija | ||
| The word "lekcija" also means "a religious sermon" and is derived from Latin "lectio". | |||
| Ukrainian | урок | ||
| The Ukrainian word “урок” also means “magic spell” and comes from the Old Slavic word for “destiny”. | |||
Lesson in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | পাঠ | ||
| "পাঠ" also means "reading", and it comes from the Sanskrit word "पाठ" (पाठः) meaning "recitation" or "reading". | |||
| Gujarati | પાઠ | ||
| The word "પાઠ" can also mean "a reading of a sacred text". | |||
| Hindi | सबक | ||
| The Hindi word "सबक" (lesson) is also used in Persian to mean a "warning" or "admonition." | |||
| Kannada | ಪಾಠ | ||
| The word 'ಪಾಠ' can also refer to a religious or philosophical discourse, or a part or section of a text. | |||
| Malayalam | പാഠം | ||
| പാഠം can also mean 'reading out' or 'reciting', both as nouns and as verbs. | |||
| Marathi | धडा | ||
| The word "धडा" is derived from the Sanskrit word "धृ" meaning "to hold" and is also used in Marathi to refer to a "chapter" in a book. | |||
| Nepali | पाठ | ||
| The word 'पाठ' also refers to a Hindu religious text or a reading from such a text. | |||
| Punjabi | ਪਾਠ | ||
| The word "ਪਾਠ" (lesson) in Punjabi can also mean "religious recitation". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පාඩම | ||
| "පාඩම" can also mean "a measure of length (2 1/2 feet)" in Sinhala. | |||
| Tamil | பாடம் | ||
| "பாடம்" also means "song" in Tamil, highlighting the ancient significance of music in education. | |||
| Telugu | పాఠం | ||
| The word "పాఠం" (lesson) in Telugu is derived from the Sanskrit word "पाठ" (reading, study), indicating its original association with the act of learning or acquiring knowledge. | |||
| Urdu | سبق | ||
| "سبق" is derived from the Arabic root "سبق" (precede, go before), suggesting a concept that comes before other knowledge. | |||
Lesson in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 课 | ||
| 课 can also mean ‘tax’ and ‘course’. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 課 | ||
| "課" originally meant "labor" or "tax". Its meaning shifted to "lesson" during the Tang Dynasty. | |||
| Japanese | レッスン | ||
| The word "レッスン" (lesson) is derived from the Dutch word "les", meaning "study" or "exercise". It can also refer to a piece of music that is studied or practiced. | |||
| Korean | 교훈 | ||
| The word "교훈" (lesson) in Korean derives from the Chinese word "訓" (xun), meaning "to teach" or "to give instructions". | |||
| Mongolian | хичээл | ||
| The Mongolian word "хичээл" can also refer to a 'task' or 'duty'. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သင်ခန်းစာ | ||
Lesson in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | pelajaran | ||
| "Pelajaran" also means "teachings" or "knowledge" in Indonesian, deriving from the root word "ajar" meaning "to teach". | |||
| Javanese | piwulang | ||
| The word 'piwulang' also refers to teachings, instructions, or guidance in Javanese language. | |||
| Khmer | មេរៀន | ||
| "មេរៀន" derives from the Sanskrit word "meru" meaning "summit" or "mountain", likely referring to the elevated position of a teacher in imparting knowledge. | |||
| Lao | ບົດຮຽນ | ||
| The word "ບົດຮຽນ" can also refer to a section of a book or a part of a speech. | |||
| Malay | pelajaran | ||
| Pelajaran is also used to refer to academic disciplines, such as mathematics or history. | |||
| Thai | บทเรียน | ||
| บทเรียน shares an etymology with the English word 'play', alluding to the idea of lessons being a type of game. | |||
| Vietnamese | bài học | ||
| The Vietnamese word "bài học" literally translates to "a portion of study" | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | aralin | ||
Lesson in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | dərs | ||
| In Azerbaijani, "dərs" not only refers to "lesson" but also can mean "chapter" and "lecture." | |||
| Kazakh | сабақ | ||
| “Сабақ” has another meaning in Kazakh, which is “a part of plant stalk” | |||
| Kyrgyz | сабак | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "сабак" can also mean "plant" or "stalk". | |||
| Tajik | дарс | ||
| The word "дарс" also carries the alternate meaning of an area in a mosque dedicated to religious teaching. | |||
| Turkmen | sapak | ||
| Uzbek | dars | ||
| The word "dars" in Uzbek also refers to a "portion" or "segment" of something, such as a book chapter or a section of a meal. | |||
| Uyghur | دەرس | ||
Lesson in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | haʻawina | ||
| The Hawaiian word "haʻawina" primarily means "lesson," but it has additional connotations of "instruction," "teaching," and "help." | |||
| Maori | akoranga | ||
| The word 'akoranga' can also refer to a 'teacher' in Maori. | |||
| Samoan | lesona | ||
| The word "lesona" in Samoan can also mean "example" or "sign". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | aral | ||
| In some Philippine provinces such as Mindoro, 'aral' also means 'to learn' from the root word 'a-ra' ('to acquire information'). | |||
Lesson in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | yatiyachawi | ||
| Guarani | mbo'epy | ||
Lesson in International Languages
| Esperanto | leciono | ||
| The Esperanto word "leciono" originates from the Latin word "lectio" meaning "reading" or "lecture." | |||
| Latin | lectio | ||
| Lectio is also a term used to describe the reading of a sacred text within a religious or academic setting. | |||
Lesson in Others Languages
| Greek | μάθημα | ||
| The word "μάθημα" (lesson) in Greek also means "subject" or "field of study". | |||
| Hmong | zaj lus qhia | ||
| The Hmong phrase “zaj lus qhia” means both “lesson” and “to be taught”. | |||
| Kurdish | ders | ||
| The word "ders" comes from the Persian word "dars" which means "teaching" or "instruction". It can also refer to a "subject" or "course" of study. | |||
| Turkish | ders | ||
| The word "ders" in Turkish also means "pain" or "suffering" in Ottoman Turkish and some Turkish dialects, reflecting the traditional view of education as a painful process. | |||
| Xhosa | isifundo | ||
| The Xhosa word "isifundo" can also mean "the act of learning" or "education". | |||
| Yiddish | לעקציע | ||
| The Yiddish word "לעקציע" also means "lecture" or "sermon." | |||
| Zulu | isifundo | ||
| In Zulu, 'isifundo' also refers to a type of traditional dance and song. | |||
| Assamese | পাঠ | ||
| Aymara | yatiyachawi | ||
| Bhojpuri | सबक | ||
| Dhivehi | ފިލާވަޅު | ||
| Dogri | ध्याऽ | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | aralin | ||
| Guarani | mbo'epy | ||
| Ilocano | leksion | ||
| Krio | lɛsin | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | وانە | ||
| Maithili | अध्याय | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯄꯔꯥ | ||
| Mizo | zirlai | ||
| Oromo | barumsa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଶିକ୍ଷା | ||
| Quechua | yachakuna | ||
| Sanskrit | पाठ | ||
| Tatar | дәрес | ||
| Tigrinya | ትምህቲ | ||
| Tsonga | dyondzo | ||