コース
kōsu[ko̞ːsɨ]
In Japanese, the English word "course" (meaning a learning program) can be expressed as コース (kōsu) or 課程.
Meaning: education: learning program (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| コース | kōsu | [ko̞ːsɨ] (narrow) |
| 課程 | katei | [ka̠te̞ː] (narrow) |
When referring to a learning program or an educational track, you may use different terms depending on the specific context of the instruction.
Which one should you use?
コース is a loanword used for general, commercial or casual learning programs, such as a language course or a fitness course. In contrast, 課程 is used in formal academic or administrative contexts to refer to a specific curriculum or a formal course of study within an institution.
How do you pronounce it?
kōsu
Did you know?
- While コース is a direct loanword from English, it is frequently used in Japan to describe a fixed-price, multi-course meal at a restaurant, such as a 'wedding course' or 'lunch course'.
- When talking about 'changing one's course' in life or career, Japanese speakers rarely use コース and instead use the word 道 meaning 'way' or 'path'.
- The word コース is often used in Japanese 'dating simulation' games to describe a specific narrative path a player takes to win a character's heart.
Examples in context
- どのコースがおすすめ？Which course do you recommend?This sentence is useful for asking for a recommendation regarding a コース.Tatoeba #10765197 by bunbuku, translation #65042 by CM
- 日本語コースはいつ始まるの？When will the Japanese course start?This sentence is useful for asking about the start time of a Japanese コース.Tatoeba #10655708 by small_snow, translation #3786151 by AlanF_US
- 世界史のコースを取ってるんだ。I'm taking a world history course.This sentence is useful for stating that one is taking a world history コース.Tatoeba #9210684 by small_snow, translation #9210617 by DJ_Saidez
- 「メニューのコースには何がありますか？」What courses are there on the menu?
- 「美術の講座」Art course
- 「将来の進路は何ですか？」What is your future course (of study/career path)?
- 「言語のクラス」Language class
- 「どんな道を進んでいますか？」What course are you pursuing?
- 「講座の申込み方法はどうなりますか？」What is the procedure for applying to the course?
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are discussing their university schedules.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮、今学期のコースは何を取ったの？Ren, kongakki no kōsu wa nani o totta no?Ren, which courses did you take this semester?
- 蓮 Ren僕は料理のコースを取ったよ。Boku wa ryōri no kōsu o totta yo.I took a cooking course.
- 美咲 Misakiいいな！そのコースは難しい？Ii na! Sono kōsu wa muzukashii?That's nice! Is that course difficult?
- 蓮 Renいや、とても楽しいコースだよ。Iya, totemo tanoshii kōsu dayo.No, it's a very enjoyable course.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “course” translations and entries コース, 課程, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
