Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| férias | /ˈfɛ.ɾjɐs/ (Brazil) /ˈfɛ.ɾi.ɐʃ/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
feminine, plural |
| vacação | /va.kaˈsɐ̃w̃/ (Brazil) /vɐ.kɐˈsɐ̃w̃/ (Portugal) |
feminine |
The term is used to describe a period of leisure time or time off from work and school. To express the action of taking a vacation, you can use the phrase sair de férias or tirar férias.
Which one should you use?
While vacação appears in some dictionaries, férias is the standard and natural word used by speakers to refer to a period of leisure. In a school context, the word recreio is more common, as it specifically refers to a school break or recess.
Is it said differently in some regions?
férias is the most common and widely used term for vacation in both Portugal and Brazil.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
férias is a plural-only noun, meaning it is always used in its plural form when referring to a vacation period. To say that someone is "on vacation," you must use the preposition de before the word, resulting in the phrase de férias.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈfɛ.ɾjɐs/.
Did you know?
- In Portuguese, you can use the verb gozar with férias to say you are enjoying your time off, but this verb can be vulgar in other contexts.
- The word férias shares a root with the Latin feriae, which originally referred to days designated for religious festivals or celebrations.
- While férias is used for vacations, the word vacação actually refers to the act of leaving a position vacant or the state of being vacant.
Examples in context
- Ela está de férias.She's on vacation.This sentence shows how to use férias to say someone is on vacation.Tatoeba #4373332 by kewne, translation #4372173 by AlanF_US
- Você está de férias?Are you on vacation?This sentence is a way to ask if someone is on vacation using férias.Tatoeba #1006402 by alexmarcelo, translation #3818811 by CK
- Eu estava de férias.I was on vacation.This sentence uses férias to describe being on vacation in the past.Tatoeba #2796221 by alexmarcelo, translation #2549137 by CK
- Vou de fériasI am going on vacation
- Vou tirar uma folga para descansarI am taking some time off for vacation
- Mal posso esperar para ir de férias!I can't wait to go on vacation!
- Tive umas férias fantásticas!I had a fantastic vacation!
- Onde passaste as tuas férias?Where did you spend your vacation?
- Vamos de férias juntos!Let's go on vacation together!
- 201 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Juliana and Gabriel are talking at a coffee shop about travel plans.
- JulianaVocê já planejou suas férias?Have you already planned your vacation?
- GabrielAinda não, mas quero viajar.Not yet, but I want to travel.
- JulianaMinhas férias serão no verão.My vacation will be in the summer.
- GabrielQue ótimo, aproveite muito!That's great, enjoy it a lot!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “vacation” translations and entries férias, vacação, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
