Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| permiso de maternidad | /peɾmiso de mateɾnidad/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| excedencia maternal | /eɡsθedenθja mateɾnal/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /eɡssedensja mateɾnal/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
| diábetes materna | /djabetes mateɾna/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
The phrase refers to a leave of absence. While permiso de maternidad is the most common way to express this in a general sense, other forms exist depending on the context and desired level of formality.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase permiso de maternidad literally translates to 'permission of maternity'.
Which one should you use?
permiso de maternidad is the most common general term. excedencia maternal is a feminine alternative, and diábetes materna is a separate medical term that should not be used for leave.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina and Uruguay, the specific term El Descanso Prenatal is used to refer to the period before childbirth.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase permiso de maternidad is masculine. To express the plural 'maternity leaves', you pluralize the head noun to get permisos de maternidad.
How do you pronounce it?
/peɾmiso de mateɾnidad/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use diábetes materna to mean maternity leave, as this refers to the medical condition maternal diabetes.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the word permiso is the standard legal term for a formal leave of absence, whereas in English 'permission' usually refers to a one-time consent to do something.
- The term excedencia is used much more frequently in Spain than in Latin American countries when referring to long-term leaves of absence.
- The word excedencia in excedencia maternal comes from the Latin word for 'going beyond' or 'going out'.
Examples in context
- Estoy emocionada de tomar mi licencia de maternidad y pasar tiempo con mi hijo recién nacido.I'm excited to take my maternity leave and spend time with my newborn baby.
- ¡Felicidades por ser madre! ¿Cuándo comienza tu baja de maternidad?Congratulations on becoming a mother! When does your maternity leave start?
- Ella ya solicitó su permiso de maternidad.She already applied for her maternity leave.
- El permiso de maternidad es de tres meses.The maternity leave is for three months.
- ¿Cuándo empieza tu permiso de maternidad?When does your maternity leave start?
Example conversation
María and Javier are colleagues discussing her upcoming absence at the office.
- MaríaJavier, todavía no sé cuándo empezar mi permiso de maternidad.Javier, I still don't know when to start my maternity leave.
- JavierNo te preocupes, María, lo más importante es tu salud.Don't worry, María, your health is the most important thing.
- MaríaGracias, espero que el permiso de maternidad sea suficiente.Thank you, I hope the maternity leave is enough.
- JavierSeguro que sí, disfruta mucho de tu tiempo.I'm sure it will be, enjoy your time a lot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “maternity leave” translations and entries permiso de maternidad, 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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, excedencia, permiso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
