vacances
/va.kɑ̃s/
The English phrase 'vacation' is translated into French as vacances.
vacances is used to describe a period of leisure time. To say that someone is 'on vacation', use the preposition 'en' before the word, resulting in the phrase en vacances.
Meaning: period of leisure time (noun)
Which one should you use?
In French, the plural form vacances refers to a vacation or holiday. In contrast, the singular form vacance refers to a vacancy or an empty position.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word for vacation is always used in the plural form in French.
How do you pronounce it?
/va.kɑ̃s/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the singular une vacance to mean 'a vacation', but in the sense of a holiday, the word must be plural.
Did you know?
- In France, the month of August is so synonymous with vacances that many small-town shops and businesses traditionally close for the entire month.
- The word vacances shares a root with the English word 'vacant'. Both come from the Latin vacare, meaning 'to be empty' or 'to be free from duty'.
- While vacances refers to the time off, French speakers often use the word congés to refer specifically to the paid leave days granted by an employer.
Examples in context
- Je suis en vacances.I'm on vacation.This sentence is useful for saying 'I'm on vacation' using vacances.Tatoeba #6538 by TRANG, translation #257499 by CK
- Elle est en vacances.She's away on vacation.This sentence is useful for saying 'She's away on vacation' using vacances.Tatoeba #4676988 by thowas, translation #1737346 by Spamster
- Je prends des vacances.I'm taking a vacation.This sentence is useful for saying 'I'm taking a vacation' using vacances.Tatoeba #3019560 by JulieMDM, translation #2547105 by CK
- Je vais partir en vacances à la fin du mois.I'm going on vacation at the end of the month.
- J'ai pris mon congé pour partir en vacances.I took time off work to go on vacation.
- J'ai besoin d'une période de repos.I need a period of rest.
- On prend les congés ensemble cet été ?Are we taking our vacations together this summer?
- 252 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are talking about their plans for the summer.
- EmmaTu pars en vacances quand ?When are you going on vacation?
- HugoJe pars en vacances le mois prochain.I am going on vacation next month.
- EmmaC'est génial, tu vas où ?That's great, where are you going?
- HugoJe vais à la mer avec ma famille.I am going to the seaside with my family.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry vacances, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
