temporada de vacaciones
/tempoɾada de bakaθjones/from spelling rulesfeminine
The English phrase "holiday season" is translated into Spanish as temporada de vacaciones. Wiktionary also lists temporada festiva and temporada feriada.
Meaning: period of the late fall and early winter when several holidays occur (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| temporada de vacaciones | /tempoɾada de bakaθjones/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /tempoɾada de bakasjones/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
| temporada festiva | /tempoɾada festiba/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| temporada feriada | /tempoɾada feɾjada/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
In many Spanish-speaking contexts, temporada de vacaciones is used broadly to cover any period of scheduled breaks, not just the December holidays.
What does it mean word for word?
The expression temporada de vacaciones literally translates to "season of vacations".
Which one should you use?
temporada festiva emphasizes the celebratory or festive nature of the period rather than just the time off. Additionally, temporada feriada is another way to express this concept.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain and some Latin American countries, navidades is commonly used to refer to the Christmas period.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, both the noun 'temporada' and the article 'la' must be changed to las temporadas.
How do you pronounce it?
/tempoɾada de bakaθjones/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the 'holiday season' is not just about the calendar date but the puente, or 'bridge'. This occurs when a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, leading people to 'bridge' the gap by taking the intervening day off to create a mini-vacation.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the 'holiday season' in December is defined by el día de los Reyes Magos on January 6. This celebration of the Three Kings often marks the official end of the festive period and is when children traditionally receive gifts.
- The word vacaciones used in temporada de vacaciones is always plural in Spanish, even when referring to a single break. Using the singular vacación is grammatically incorrect in most contexts and would sound unnatural to a native speaker.
Examples in context
- Trataré de ir a casa durante la temporada de vacaciones.I'll try to get home during the holiday season.This sentence shows how to use temporada de vacaciones when talking about traveling home.Tatoeba #3039815 by marcelostockle, translation #3022538 by sharptoothed
- Una de las mejores partes de la temporada de vacaciones es pasar tiempo con las personas especiales en tu vida.One of the best parts of the holiday season is spending time with the special people in your life.This sentence uses temporada de vacaciones to describe spending time with loved ones.Tatoeba #8301991 by GuidoW, translation #6556055 by BHO
- Me encanta la época festiva.I love the holiday season.
- La temporada navideña es muy especial para nosotros.The holiday season is very special for us.
- ¡Estoy tan emocionado por la época de fiestas!I'm so excited for the holiday season!
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are talking about their plans for December.
- LucíaYa empezó la temporada de vacaciones, ¿tienes planes?The holiday season has already started, do you have plans?
- AlejandroSí, voy a visitar a mi familia en México.Yes, I am going to visit my family in Mexico.
- LucíaQué bien, Alejandro, disfruta mucho el viaje.That's great, Alejandro, enjoy the trip very much.
- AlejandroGracias, Lucía, igualmente para ti.Thanks, Lucía, same to you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “holiday season” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
