Provided are a computer implemented method, system, and program for translating a class schema in a source language to a target language. Class element definitions in a source file in the source language are received. The definitions of the class elements define instances of metadata types providing metadata for the class elements. Statements in the target language are generated to implement class elements defined in the source file. Statements are generated in the target language to define metadata elements for metadata types. For each metadata data type instance defined with one class element in the source file, at least one statement is generated in the target language to associate the metadata element generated for the metadata type with the implementation of the class element corresponding to the class element defined with the metadata type instance in the source file.