Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| vacanza | /vaˈkan.t͡sa/ | feminine |
| ferie | feminine, plural |
The term is used to describe a period of one or more days taken off from work for leisure and often travel. You can use the phrase andare in vacanza to say 'to go on holiday', or use vacanza estiva to refer to a summer holiday. To talk about a holiday destination, use destinazione di vacanza. If you want to say you are currently on holiday, you can say Sono in vacanza or Sono in ferie.
Which one should you use?
vacanza refers to the general concept of a holiday or a trip, while ferie refers specifically to the time off taken from work. When discussing your annual leave or the specific days you are permitted to be away from your job, use the plural ferie. For example, you might refer to your summer holidays as ferie estive.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form ferie is used with the verb prendere when talking about taking one's holidays or leave from a job (e.g., prendere le ferie).
How do you pronounce it?
The word vacanza is pronounced /vaˈkan.tsa/. It has three syllables, and the stress is on the second syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using vacanza to refer to a public holiday like Christmas. Instead, use festività or giorno festivo.
When do people say it?
To wish someone a great holiday, you can say Buone vacanze! or Buone ferie!
Did you know?
- The word vacanza shares a root with the English word 'vacant'. Both come from the Latin word for 'emptiness', describing a holiday as a time when one's schedule is empty.
- The word ferie is the plural of feria, which in Latin referred to a religious festival or a day of rest from labor.
- In Italy, the period of ferie is often legally mandated by national contracts, making the timing of summer leave more standardized than in many English speaking countries.
Examples in context
- Dove vai in vacanza?Where are you going on holiday?This sentence is useful for asking where someone is traveling to for their holiday using vacanza.Tatoeba #521088 by Pharamp, translation #816886 by Cindrogriza
- Mi serve una vacanza.I need a holiday.This sentence shows how to express the need for a holiday using vacanza.Tatoeba #2560878 by Guybrush88, translation #2387439 by CK
- Ritardò la tua vacanza.It delayed your holiday.This sentence demonstrates how the word vacanza can be used when something causes a delay to a holiday.Tatoeba #7815572 by Guybrush88, translation #7779293 by sharris123
- Ho pianificato una bella vacanza quest'anno.I planned a nice holiday this year.
- La vacanza di Natale in Italia è davvero speciale.The Christmas holiday in Italy is truly special.
- Finalmente, sono in ferie!Finally, I am on holiday!
- Le mie ferie estive saranno rilassanti.My summer holidays will be relaxing.
- Buone vacanze! Divertiti e goditi il tuo tempo libero!Have a great holiday! Have fun and enjoy your free time!
- 105 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Alessandro are talking about their upcoming plans.
- MartinaQuando inizia la tua vacanza?When does your holiday start?
- AlessandroInizio la vacanza venerdì prossimo.My holiday starts next Friday.
- MartinaChe bello! Dove andrai?That's great! Where will you go?
- AlessandroVado in Sicilia per una settimana.I am going to Sicily for a week.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “holiday” translations and entries vacanza, ferie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vacanza, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
