vacaciones
/bakaˈθjones/
The Spanish phrase for holiday break is vacaciones.
vacaciones is used to refer to a holiday break.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, vacaciones escolares is used to refer to a school-related holiday break. In Spain, periodo de Navidad is used to refer to the Christmas holiday period.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is almost always used in the plural form when referring to a holiday break. When using vacaciones, you must use plural verb agreements, such as las vacaciones son (the holidays are).
How do you pronounce it?
/bakaˈθjones/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the singular vacación to mean a holiday break, but in standard Spanish, the plural vacaciones is the natural way to express the period of time off.
Did you know?
- In Spain, the term puente, meaning 'bridge', is used when a holiday break falls near a weekend. This describes the act of taking an extra day off to 'bridge' the gap between a holiday and the weekend.
- The word vacaciones shares a root with the English word 'vacate'. Both derive from the Latin vacare, which means 'to be empty' or 'to be free from duty'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the 'holiday break' for August is so culturally significant that some businesses and offices close entirely for several weeks, a custom known as cerrar por vacaciones.
Examples in context
- El receso de vacaciones comenzará la próxima semanaThe holiday break will begin next week
- El período vacacional abarcará dos semanasThe holiday period will last two weeks
- ¡Estoy emocionado por las vacaciones!I'm excited for the holiday break!
- Estoy planeando un largo descanso durante las fiestasI'm planning a long break during the holidays
- Voy a disfrutar de todo mi tiempo libre durante las festividadesI'm going to enjoy all my free time during the holidays
- Las vacaciones escolares comenzarán en diciembreThe school holiday break will start in December
- Durante el periodo de Navidad, disfrutaré de unas merecidas vacacionesDuring the Christmas holiday period, I will enjoy a well-deserved break
- Durante el receso de vacaciones, viajaré a la playa con mi familiaDuring the holiday break, I will travel to the beach with my family
- Este año, el período vacacional del trabajo será más largoThis year, the work holiday period will be longer
- Necesito mis vacaciones.I need my holiday break.
- Las vacaciones son muy largas.The holiday break is very long.
- ¿Cuándo empiezan tus vacaciones?When does your holiday break start?
Example conversation
Two colleagues talking at the office.
- AlejandroHola Lucía, ¿tienes planes para las vacaciones?Hi Lucía, do you have plans for the holiday break?
- LucíaSí, voy a visitar a mi familia.Yes, I am going to visit my family.
- Alejandro¡Qué bien! Yo me quedo en casa.That's great! I am staying home.
- LucíaTambién es bueno descansar en casa, Alejandro.It is also good to rest at home, Alejandro.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry vacaciones, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
