Urlaub
/ˈuːɐ̯ˌlaʊ̯p/masculine
The German word for holiday is Urlaub. Wiktionary also lists Ferien.
Meaning: period of one or more days taken off work for leisure and often travel (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Urlaub | /ˈuːɐ̯ˌlaʊ̯p/ | masculine |
| Ferien | /ˈfeːri̯ən/ | plural |
The term refers to a period of one or more days taken off from work for leisure and often travel. To express that someone is currently on holiday, use the phrase im Urlaub.
Which one should you use?
Urlaub is the standard term for personal time off granted by an employer. In contrast, Ferien is used specifically to refer to school holidays or academic breaks.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Urlaub is a masculine noun. It is typically used in the singular to mean a period of leave, but can be used in the plural as Urlaube when referring to multiple distinct instances of leave taken by different people or at different times. Ferien is a plural-only noun and does not have a singular form.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈuːɐ̯ˌlaʊ̯p/
Did you know?
- The word Urlaub was historically used in a military context to describe a soldier's official leave of absence.
- In Germany, the legal minimum for Urlaub is significantly higher than in the US, with many workers receiving 30 days of paid leave per year.
- The term Ferien actually comes from the Latin word fēriae, which originally referred to religious festivals or holy days.
Examples in context
- Alle sind im Urlaub.Everyone is on holiday.This sentence uses Urlaub to show that everyone is currently on holiday.Tatoeba #7132916 by Luiaard, translation #7132919 by Luiaard
- Viele sind im Urlaub.A lot of people are on holiday.This sentence uses Urlaub to indicate that a lot of people are on holiday.Tatoeba #11292597 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10716478 by sundown
- Machst du hier Ferien?Are you here on holiday?This sentence uses Ferien to ask if someone is on holiday.Tatoeba #3322256 by al_ex_an_der, translation #4593673 by Hybrid
- Sehr geehrter Herr Schmidt, ich möchte gerne Urlaub vom 1. bis zum 15. Juli nehmen.Dear Mr. Schmidt, I would like to take a holiday from the 1st to the 15th of July.
- Wir haben im Sommer drei Wochen Ferien.We have three weeks of holiday in the summer.
- Wir machen nächsten Monat einen Kurzurlaub in den Alpen.We're going on a short holiday in the Alps next month.
- 312 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Sarah are talking about their upcoming work breaks.
- JulianHast du schon deinen Urlaub geplant?Have you planned your holiday yet?
- SarahJa, ich nehme im August Urlaub.Yes, I am taking a holiday in August.
- JulianWohin möchtest du reisen?Where would you like to travel?
- SarahIch möchte nach Italien fliegen.I want to fly to Italy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “holiday” translations and entries Urlaub, Ferien, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Ferien, Urlaub, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
