die Lektion
lesson
A teaching unit at school, in a course, or with a teacher, in which knowledge is taught.
EXAMPLE
Heute haben wir in der ersten Lektion Mathematik.
Today we have mathematics in the first lesson.
die Lektion
lesson
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Meanings
die Lektion
lesson
An experience, often a negative one, from which one learns something important for the future.
EXAMPLE
Der Verlust seines Geldes war ihm eine teure Lektion.
The loss of his money was an expensive lesson for him.
jemandem eine Lektion erteilen
to teach someone a lesson
To punish or reprimand someone so that they change their behavior.
EXAMPLE
Mit seiner schnellen Antwort erteilte er dem arroganten Fragesteller eine Lektion.
With his quick answer, he taught the arrogant questioner a lesson.
die Lektion
lesson
A specific section or chapter in a textbook that deals with a topic.
EXAMPLE
Bitte lest bis morgen die Lektion 5 im Sprachkursbuch.
Please read lesson 5 in the language coursebook by tomorrow.
Usage tips
Context clue
The word 'Lektion' (lesson) can refer to class time or to a part of a textbook. The context makes the difference: time expressions like 'in der ersten Lektion' (in the first lesson) refer to the class, while 'Lektion 5 lesen' (to read lesson 5) refers to the book.
EXAMPLE
In der nächsten Lektion sprechen wir über die deutsche Geschichte.
In the next lesson, we will talk about German history.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'jemandem eine Lektion erteilen' (to teach someone a lesson) is very common. The person being reprimanded is always in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Der Chef hat dem unhöflichen Mitarbeiter eine Lektion erteilt.
The boss taught the rude employee a lesson.
Typical adjectives
When 'Lektion' (lesson) describes a learning experience, it is often combined with negative adjectives to characterize the experience. Typical phrases are 'eine harte Lektion' (a hard lesson), 'eine bittere Lektion' (a bitter lesson), or 'eine teure Lektion' (an expensive lesson).
EXAMPLE
Die Prüfung nicht zu bestehen, war eine harte Lektion für ihn.
Not passing the exam was a hard lesson for him.
Sentence structure with dative
To express for whom an experience was a lesson, a dative construction is used. The person who learns is in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Dieser Fehler war mir eine wichtige Lektion.
This mistake was an important lesson for me.
Compare with
Lektion vs Stunde
hour
A Stunde is usually the scheduled teaching unit in a timetable. A Lektion refers more to a learning section organized by content, for example in a course or textbook. So you schedule a Stunde for a specific time, but work through a Lektion during that time.
Lektion
In der nächsten Lektion lernen wir die wichtigsten Vergangenheitsformen.
In the next lesson, we’ll learn the most important past-tense forms.
Stunde
Die nächste Stunde beginnt am Montag um neun Uhr.
The next class starts at nine o’clock on Monday.
In real life
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