Vacaciones de invierno
/bakaθjones de imbjeɾno/from spelling rules
The English phrase "winter break" is translated into Spanish as Vacaciones de invierno.
Meaning: time off in winter (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, the word vacaciones is a plural-only noun, meaning it must always be used in its plural form. When you are referring to a specific school or academic winter break, the phrase is almost always used with the definite article las, as in las vacaciones de invierno.
How do you pronounce it?
/bakaθjones de imbjeɾno/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes mistakenly use the singular form vacación de invierno. However, in Spanish, the plural vacaciones is the standard way to refer to a period of time off.
Did you know?
- While vacaciones de invierno is common, many Spanish speakers use the term puente, meaning 'bridge', to describe short breaks that connect a holiday to a weekend.
- In many Spanish-speaking-speaking countries, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere, las vacaciones de invierno occurs during July rather than December.
- The word invierno shares a common ancestor with the Latin 'hībernus', which is also the root of the English word 'hibernate'.
Examples in context
- ¿Cuando empiezan las vacaciones de invierno?When does winter break start?This sentence is useful for asking about the start date of Vacaciones de invierno.Tatoeba #13931604 by BenjaBesings_14, translation #9942801 by ddnktr
- Estoy emocionado por las vacaciones de inviernoI'm excited for winter break
- Las vacaciones de invierno son muy cortas.Winter break is very short.
- Disfruta mucho de tus vacaciones de invierno.Enjoy your winter break a lot.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their school schedule.
- María¿Ya sabes qué harás en las vacaciones de invierno?Do you already know what you will do during winter break?
- DanielVoy a viajar con mi familia, María.I am going to travel with my family, María.
- María¡Qué bien! Yo me quedaré en casa.That's great! I will stay at home.
- DanielBueno, que descanses mucho en tus vacaciones.Well, I hope you rest a lot during your break.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, invierno, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
