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How to talk about school and grades in Spanish

Discuss classes, grades and deadlines — and say it all in real conversation.

VOCABULARY PACK · 6 LESSONS · B2

A grade is la nota, and the verbs around it split by country: to fail is suspender in Spain but reprobar in Mexico, and in Colombia you rajas or pierdes el examen. The textbook word for a subject is la asignatura, but what people actually say is la materia. And the question that opens every school conversation: ¿cómo te fue en el examen? — how did the exam go? &Be teaches this vocabulary with no flashcards and no drills: you learn each word by saying it in a live conversation about real academic life.

Below: the words each lesson puts in your mouth, how school vocabulary changes between Mexico and Argentina, and a way to rehearse these conversations out loud.

Say this

The phrases that carry the conversation

Assessments

  • el examenthe exam
  • la pruebathe test
  • la notathe grade
  • aprobarto pass

Academic Subjects

  • la asignaturathe subject
  • las matemáticasmathematics
  • las cienciassciences
  • la historiahistory

Schedule & Calendar

  • el horariothe schedule
  • el semestrethe semester
  • el trimestrethe quarter
  • la fecha límitethe deadline

Regional Spanish

What locals actually say

Textbooks teach one word. Locals use several — pick your region's and stay consistent.

EnglishMexicoArgentina
high schoolla prepael secundario
semesterel semestreel cuatrimestre
homeworkla tareala tarea o los deberes

Watch out

Mistakes that mark you as a textbook speaker

  1. Vague about requirementsask specific questions like '¿Cuál es la fecha límite exacta?'
  2. Defensive tone on feedbackacknowledge with 'Entiendo, ¿qué puedo hacer para mejorar?'
  3. Missing timelinesrepeat due dates to confirm understanding

The part no drill site can do

No flashcards. You learn it by using it

Olivia, &Be vocabulary teacher

Olivia

Your vocabulary teacher for this pack

There's nothing to memorize in the Educator lessons — the words stick because you use them. Olivia walks you through real academic conversations: describing your class load materia by materia, talking through exam results without getting defensive — entiendo, ¿qué puedo hacer para mejorar? — and asking about tutoring or office hours with the polite openers that carry these exchanges: me gustaría saber..., ¿podría explicarme...? You say it all out loud, and confirm the dates back like someone who won't miss la fecha de entrega.

Blank mid-sentence and nothing bad happens — she waits. That's the practice, without unnecessary judgement.

Finish the 6 lessons and Educator is yours — earned, not given.

Download on the App Store First 10 lessons free · 10-minute spoken lessons · your AI coaching team remembers you

Quick answers

Questions people ask

How do you say 'to fail an exam' in Spanish?

Depends on the country: suspender in Spain, reprobar in Mexico, and in Colombia rajar or perder el examen. To pass is aprobar everywhere — and an Argentine who has to retake a subject says me llevé la materia.

What's the difference between escuela, colegio and instituto?

La escuela is school in general, el colegio is K-12 (affectionately el cole), and el instituto is high school. Locally, high school becomes la prepa in Mexico, el secundario in Argentina, and el liceo in Chile.

How do you say 'grade' in Spanish?

La nota. A perfect score is sacar 10 in Mexico or sacarse un 10 in Argentina, and the top written grade is el sobresaliente — outstanding.

Is homework 'la tarea' or 'los deberes'?

In Mexico it's la tarea — never los deberes — and la tarea also wins in Chile and Peru. Argentina and Uruguay accept both. Turning it in is entregar la tarea.

How do I ask about a deadline in Spanish?

The dictionary word is la fecha límite, but la fecha de entrega is more common — or just ask ¿cuándo se entrega? To pin it down precisely: ¿Cuál es la fecha límite exacta?