Inklingo
← Dictionary
A bright yellow beach umbrella stuck in white sand, with the gentle blue ocean visible in the background under a sunny sky.

vacaciones

bah-kah-SYOH-nes

nounfA1
vacation?period of time off work/school,holiday?British English equivalent of vacation
Also:time off?general free time

📝 In Action

¿Cuándo empiezan tus vacaciones de verano?

A1

When does your summer vacation start?

Estamos de vacaciones en la playa.

A2

We are on holiday/vacation at the beach.

Necesito urgentemente tomarme unas largas vacaciones.

B1

I urgently need to take a long vacation.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • tomar/coger vacaciones – to take a vacation
  • vacaciones pagadas – paid vacation
  • ir de vacaciones – to go on vacation

💡 Grammar Points

Always Plural

In Spanish, 'vacaciones' is always used in the plural form, even if you are referring to a single trip or period of time off. You must use plural articles (las) and plural modifiers.

The Expression 'De vacaciones'

To say someone is 'on vacation,' use the preposition 'de' (Estamos de vacaciones, not en vacaciones).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using the Singular

Mistake: "Me tomé una vacación."

Correction: Me tomé unas vacaciones. (It is always treated as plural in Spanish.)

Incorrect Article

Mistake: "El vacaciones es mañana."

Correction: Las vacaciones son mañana. ('Vacaciones' is feminine and plural, so use 'las' and the plural verb form 'son'.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Asking about Plans

A natural way to ask about someone's trip plans is: '¿Qué planes tienes para las vacaciones?'

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: vacaciones

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'vacaciones'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

vacacionar(to vacation/holiday) - verb
vacante(vacant / vacancy) - adjective/noun

Frequently Asked Questions

If I only want to talk about one day off, can I use 'una vacación'?

No, 'vacaciones' must always be used in the plural. If you are only talking about a single day, it is much better to say 'un día libre' (a free day) or 'un día de descanso' (a day of rest).

How do I conjugate the verb form of this word?

The related verb is 'vacacionar' (to vacation). This is a regular -ar verb, meaning its conjugations follow the standard pattern for verbs like 'hablar' or 'cantar'.