General:
* Donner une leçon: This is the most literal translation and is often used in the context of teaching someone a subject or skill.
* Apprendre une leçon: This means "to learn a lesson" and can be used to describe the process of someone learning something from an experience.
More specific:
* Donner une leçon à quelqu'un: This means "to teach someone a lesson" in a more emphatic way, implying that the person is being punished for their actions.
* Faire payer quelqu'un: This means "to make someone pay" and is used when someone is being punished or held accountable for their actions.
* Montrer à quelqu'un ce qu'il vaut: This means "to show someone what they're worth" and is used when someone is being humbled or made to see their own limitations.
Example:
* "Je vais lui donner une leçon!" (I'm going to teach him a lesson!) - This implies punishment.
* "Le professeur va nous apprendre une leçon sur la Révolution française." (The teacher will teach us a lesson about the French Revolution.) - This is about teaching a subject.
* "Il a appris une leçon sur l'importance de la ponctualité." (He learned a lesson about the importance of punctuality.) - This refers to learning from experience.
The best translation will depend on the specific context and the intended meaning.