"jäädä luokalle" in English ?

[kalmisto]

I know that "pinnata koulusta" is "play hookey from school" or "hook school" but what is "jäädä luokalle" in English ?
"Flunk a year" or what ?

[AldenG]

Informally you might say "he flunked the fifth grade," though flunking is much more often used for a particular test.

Less dramatically, you'd be likely in American English to say that someone was "held back in the fifth grade" or "had to repeat the grade."

And flunking can refer to the student or the teacher.

John flunked the bio final.
Mr. Evans flunked John on that bio final.

[kalmisto]

Thanks Alden !