lessen

Lessen is a Dutch noun meaning "lesson" or "class session." In education, a lesson is a unit of instruction within a course or program. The singular form is les, and the plural form is lessen. The term is widely used in schools, language courses, music schools, and private tutoring. Common phrases include muziekles (music lesson), taalles (language lesson), and rijlessen (driving lessons). A teacher delivers lessons, and students attend them; a lesson can refer to a single class within a longer curriculum or to a series of sessions that make up part of a course.

In English, lessen exists as a verb meaning to make something smaller or less severe; the phrase "to lessen" is used to describe a reduction of intensity, amount, or impact. Its third-person singular form is "lessens." This English usage is unrelated in meaning to the Dutch noun "les/lessen," though they share identical spelling in their plural form. Common contexts include efforts to lessen costs, lessen the burden, or lessen the risk.

Note: In Dutch, "lessen" should not be confused with the English word "lessons," which is the English plural of "lesson." The two languages use the same spelling for different grammatical categories, reflecting their shared Germanic heritage but distinct modern meanings.