vacaciones

bah-kah-SYOH-nes/ba.kaˈsjo.nes/

“vacaciones” means “vacation” in Spanish (period of time off work/school).

vacation, holiday

Also: time off

NounfA1

Mexico/Central America

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

📝 In Action

¿Cuándo empiezan tus vacaciones de verano?

When does your summer vacation start?

Estamos de vacaciones en la playa.

We are on holiday/vacation at the beach.

Necesito urgentemente tomarme unas largas vacaciones.

I urgently need to take a long vacation.

Word Connections

Synonyms

descanso (rest)
asueto (day off/break)

Antonyms

trabajo (work)
deberes (duties)

Common Collocations

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

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "vacaciones" in Spanish:

holiday→time off→vacation→

✏️ 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

🎵 Rhymes▼

canciones ocasiones

📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'vacatio,' meaning 'exemption' or 'freedom from an obligation.' It’s related to the Latin verb 'vacare,' meaning 'to be empty' or 'to be free,' highlighting the freedom from work duties.

First recorded: Medieval Latin (c. 12th century, evolving into modern form later)

Cognates (Related words)

French: vacancesEnglish: vacate

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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'.