Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| recreo | /reˈkɾeo/ | masculine |
| patio | /ˈpatjo/ | masculine |
| receso | /reˈθeso/ /reˈseso/ |
Cuba, Venezuela, masculine |
The term is used to describe a period of time away from studying during the school day for a meal or recreation. For more formal contexts, such as a pause or interruption in an activity, you can use La pausa. In highly informal settings, particularly among younger generations, the English loanword El break is sometimes used to refer to a recess or break.
Which one should you use?
While recreo is the standard term for a school recess, receso is used to describe an official or formal recess, such as a break in a meeting, a court session or the proceedings of a legislative body. Additionally, patio can be used to mean recess in certain contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cuba and Venezuela, the masculine noun receso is used to mean recess.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
All three primary forms, recreo, patio and receso, are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/reˈkɾeo/
When do people say it?
When wishing someone a good time, you might say ¡disfruta del recreo y diviértete! to mean 'Enjoy your recess and have fun!'
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking schools, el patio is not just a location but a social ecosystem where distinct peer hierarchies are formed and negotiated during recreo.
- The term recreo shares the same linguistic roots as the French word récréation, which is the ancestor of the English word 'recreation'.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the word patio, which literally means 'courtyard', is used to refer to the period of 'recess' itself rather than just the physical location.
Examples in context
- Se acabó el recreo.Recess ended.This sentence is useful for showing the end of a school recess using recreo.Tatoeba #5568858 by swyter, translation #2094440 by MethodGT
- Los estudiantes están en recreo ahora.The students are having a recess now.This sentence shows the use of recreo to describe students currently having a recess.Tatoeba #1454162 by marcelostockle, translation #21327 by CK
- La reunión se reanudará en dos horas luego de un breve receso.The meeting will reconvene in two hours after a brief recess.This sentence demonstrates the use of receso in the context of a formal meeting.Tatoeba #1604130 by luispotro, translation #868255 by beaushiny
- Después de la clase de matemáticas, tenemos el recreo.After math class, we have recess.
- Vamos a disfrutar de un breve descanso.Let's enjoy a short recess.
- ¡Por fin llegó el momento de ir al patio!Finally, it's time to go to recess!
- Esta mañana, tuvimos un recreíto muy divertido.This morning, we had a fun little recess.
- La duración del recreo es de 30 minutos.The duration of recess is 30 minutes.
- Durante el recreo, pasamos el rato jugando.During recess, we hang out and play.
- El patio es el lugar ideal para jugar al aire libre durante el recreo.The playground is the perfect place to play outdoors during recess.
- Es importante hacer ejercicio durante el recreo para mantenernos sanos.It's important to exercise during recess to stay healthy.
Example conversation
Two students are talking in the hallway.
- Sofía¿A qué hora es el recreo hoy?What time is recess today?
- DanielEl recreo empieza a las diez.Recess starts at ten.
- Sofía¡Genial! Quiero jugar fútbol con Daniel.Great! I want to play soccer with Daniel.
- DanielYo también, nos vemos afuera.Me too, I'll see you outside.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “recess” translations and entries recreo, patio, receso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries patio, receso, recreo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
