Key Facts
- Hangul: 수업; Revised Romanization: sueop
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: Sino-Korean
- Register: Neutral, everyday school word; students say 수업을 듣다 and teachers say 수업을 하다.
Class in Korean: What Does 수업 Mean?
수업 means class or lesson. Students say 수업을 듣다, while teachers say 수업을 하다. That split is the main thing to learn.
How Do You Pronounce 수업?
Say su-eop, two syllables with the final ㅂ unreleased. When a vowel follows, as in 수업이, the ㅂ moves across and you hear it clearly.
Example Sentences with 수업
수업이 아홉 시에 시작해요.
Sueobi ahop sie sijakaeyo.
Class starts at nine.
아홉 시 is nine o'clock in native numbers, and 시작해요 is the verb for starting.
오늘 수업이 재미있었어요.
Oneul sueobi jaemiisseosseoyo.
Class was fun today.
재미있었어요 is a past evaluation, so the speaker is reviewing the class afterward.
수업 후에 도서관에 가요.
Sueop hue doseogwane gayo.
I go to the library after class.
후에 means after. The sentence plans an errand following the class.
How the Examples Work
The verb depends on who is speaking. A student uses 수업을 듣다 (literally "to listen to a class"), a teacher uses 수업을 하다, and both can say 수업이 끝나다 when the bell rings. In the examples the word appears as a subject (수업이) and before a time word (수업 후에), and the phrase 수업 시간 means class time on a timetable.
Phrases Built on 수업
Verbs of attending and ending go with the word.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 수업을 듣다 | to take a class |
| 수업이 끝나다 | class ends |
| 수업 시간 | class time |
The Mistake to Avoid
Learners translate "take a class" or "have a class" with 하다.
- Wrong (as a student): 수업을 해요 for "I take a class". It sounds as if you are teaching it.
- Correct: 수업을 들어요 (I take a class). Teachers say 수업을 해요.
수업 Compared with Similar Words
강의 is a lecture at university. 반 is the class group you belong to. Do not confuse the lesson with the room.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 강의 | lecture | 강의 is a lecture at university. |
| 반 | class (group) | 반 is the class group you belong to. |
Where Does 수업 Come From?
수업 is Sino-Korean, written 授業 in hanja: 授 give and 業 lesson or work.
Checking Today’s Class Schedule
Two students are deciding whether they have time to eat before their Korean lesson.
Mina
오늘 한국어 수업 몇 시에 시작해요?
Oneul hangugeo sueop myeot sie sijakaeyo?
What time does Korean class start today?
Alex
두 시에 시작해요.
Du sie sijakaeyo.
It starts at two.
Mina
그럼 수업 전에 점심 먹을까요?
Geureom sueop jeone jeomsim meogeulkkayo?
Then shall we have lunch before class?
Alex
좋아요. 한 시에 만나요.
Joayo. Han sie mannayo.
Sounds good. Let’s meet at one.
한국어 수업 names the subject of the lesson. The question leaves out the subject marker after 수업, as often happens in conversation when the sentence is clear. The answer can leave out the entire noun phrase because both students already know which class they mean.
수업 전에 means before class. Compare it with 수업 후에 in the existing library example, which means after class. The dialogue uses the class start time to arrange another activity; it does not use 수업 to mean the room or the group of classmates.
Phrases for Attendance and Schedules
수업이 있다 means to have a class scheduled. A student can use 오늘 수업이 있어요 to explain being busy today. This is useful alongside 수업을 듣다: one phrase reports a timetable commitment, while the other describes attending or taking the lesson.
수업 중 means during class or while class is in progress. On a door notice, 수업 중 tells you a lesson is happening inside. It names the current activity rather than a particular subject. 수업 시간 can refer to the scheduled class time or the period spent in class, depending on the sentence.
온라인 수업 means an online class. 대면 수업 means an in-person class. The added word identifies how the lesson happens; 수업 still names the instructional event. These phrases are useful when checking whether to log in or travel to a classroom.
휴강 means a scheduled class is canceled. 보강 is a supplementary or make-up class. If these appear in a course notice, check the date and time attached to them: a canceled meeting and its replacement can appear in the same message.
Which English Sense of Class Do You Mean?
For “I have class,” 수업이 있어요 is a useful student sentence. For “I take a class,” 수업을 들어요 makes the student's role clear. 수업을 해요 is natural for teaching a class; context can also make it a broader description of holding a lesson. Start with the more specific student expression when explaining your own study schedule.
English also uses “class” for a group, as in “our class has twenty students.” Korean uses 반 or 학급 for that group. For the physical room, use 교실. The event, the group and the room can all be part of one school day, but they answer different questions.
수업 is neutral. You will hear it in school conversation, private lessons and language courses. A university lecture can be called 강의, while 수업 remains useful when discussing your overall schedule. The setting helps you choose the more specific word.
School Words for Your Next Conversation
| Korean | Meaning | Useful note |
|---|---|---|
| 시간표 | timetable | Shows when your classes happen. |
| 과목 | subject | Names what is studied, such as mathematics or Korean. |
| 숙제 | homework | Work assigned to do outside the lesson. |
| 휴강 | class cancellation | A notice that a scheduled lesson will not be held. |
| 교실 | classroom | The place where the lesson happens. |
Use the school vocabulary lesson to build a timetable vocabulary set. Then compare 교실, classroom when you need to ask where the lesson takes place.
Quick Self-Test
- How can a student say “I have class today”?
- Does 수업 전에 mean before class or after class?
- Which word names the class group: 수업 or 반?
Show answers
- 오늘 수업이 있어요.
- Before class.
- 반.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say class in Korean?
Say 수업 (sueop).
How do I say I am taking a class?
Say 수업을 들어요. The verb 듣다 (to listen) is used for taking a class.
What does a teacher say?
A teacher says 수업을 해요, which means "I teach a class."
What is 강의?
강의 is a lecture, usually at a university. 수업 is the broader word for any class or lesson.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: School words places 수업 among its neighbours.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.