Vacation in different languages

Vacation in Different Languages

Discover 'Vacation' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

Vacation, a word that evokes feelings of relaxation, adventure, and excitement. It's a time to step away from our daily routines and explore the world around us. But did you know that the word 'vacation' has different meanings and connotations in various cultures? For some, it's a brief respite from work, while for others, it's a long-awaited journey to a far-off land.

The significance of vacation extends beyond personal rejuvenation. It plays a crucial role in promoting mental health, building relationships, and broadening our perspectives. In many societies, vacation is seen as a right, not a privilege, emphasizing its cultural importance.

Moreover, understanding the translation of 'vacation' in different languages can enrich our travel experiences. For instance, in Spanish, 'vacation' is 'vacaciones', in French, it's 'vacances', and in German, it's 'Ferien'. Each translation not only reflects linguistic diversity but also encapsulates unique cultural nuances.

So, whether you're planning your next getaway or simply curious about language and culture, exploring the translations of 'vacation' is a great place to start. Keep reading to discover more fascinating translations!

Vacation


Vacation in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansvakansie
The Afrikaans word "vakansie" derives from Dutch and was originally used to describe an ecclesiastical vacancy rather than a period of leisure.
Amharicሽርሽር
The word "ሽርሽር" derives from the verb "ሽረ", meaning "to relax" or "to take a break."
Hausahutu
The etymology of "hutu" is unclear, with some speculating it derives from Arabic "khutuwah" (departure) or "hatha" (time period).
Igboezumike
The Igbo word 'ezumike' can also refer to a period of time set aside for a particular purpose or activity.
Malagasyfialan-tsasatra
Fialan-tsasatra is derived from the French word "vacance", meaning "leisure time" or "break from work".
Nyanja (Chichewa)kutchuthi
The term 'kutchuthi' is derived from two Nyanja verbs, 'kuchoka' (to rest) and 'kutha' (to stop), indicating a break from regular activities.
Shonazororo
The term 'zororo' is also used to refer to a period of time when one is not engaged in any activities or duties.
Somalifasax
The word "fasax" can also refer to a break from religious fasting.
Sesothophomolo
The word "phomolo" in Sesotho also means "leisure time" or "the time between work or study periods."
Swahililikizo
The Swahili word "likizo" originally referred to a "holiday" or "feast day" and is related to the word "kulika" meaning "to relax".
Xhosaiholide
The term "iholide" refers to a break from customary duties or routine tasks.
Yorubaisinmi
Isinmi derives from the word 'sinmi', meaning 'to rest' and 'mi', meaning 'to do'. Thus, it signifies 'a period for doing rest'.
Zuluiholide
"Iholide" is also the Zulu word for "freedom".
Bambarakɔnze
Ewemᴐkeke
Kinyarwandaikiruhuko
Lingalacongé
Lugandaekiwummulo
Sepedimaikhutšo
Twi (Akan)kwan ma

Vacation in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicعطلة
The word "عطلة" literally means "release" and was originally used in the context of religious holidays.
Hebrewחוּפשָׁה
חוּפְשָׁה shares its Hebrew root ח.פ.ש (h-f-s) with words like "search" and "explore," implying a freeing from daily burdens and constraints.
Pashtoرخصتي
The word "رخصتي" in Pashto is derived from the Arabic word "رخصة" (rukhṣah) which also means "leave" or "permission".
Arabicعطلة
The word "عطلة" literally means "release" and was originally used in the context of religious holidays.

Vacation in Western European Languages

Albanianpushime
The Albanian word "pushime" has Slavic origins and also means "rest" or "break".
Basqueoporrak
The word “oporrak” originates from the ancient Basque term “oparoa”, representing “the passage from day to night.”
Catalanvacances
Catalan "vacances" comes from Latin "vacantia" (empty spaces between fields), and only later took on the meaning of "vacation" as we know it, while French "vacances" kept the original meaning.
Croatianodmor
The word "odmor" (vacation) is derived from the same root as the word "dom" (home).
Danishferie
The word 'ferie' comes from the Latin word 'feriae,' which originally meant 'holidays' or 'religious festivals'.
Dutchvakantie
The word "vakantie" originally meant "empty time" in Latin, and in Dutch it can also refer to a school holiday.
Englishvacation
The word "vacation" originally meant "to empty" or "to make empty" in Latin, but it has come to mean a period of rest or relaxation.
Frenchvacances
Derived from the Latin word "vacans" meaning "empty" or "not occupied," "vacances" in French refers to a period of time free from work or other obligations.
Frisianfakânsje
Galicianvacacións
The word "vacacións" in Galician has a different etymology from the Spanish word "vacaciones", coming from the Latin "vacationes" (plural of "vacatio"), meaning "freedom from work".
Germanferien
"Ferien" derives from the Medieval Latin word "feriae," meaning "holidays" or "festivals."
Icelandicfrí
The Icelandic term 'frí' for vacation originates from an Old Norse word for peace or protection.
Irishlaethanta saoire
Italianvacanza
The word "vacanza" in Italian, also means "empty" or "void".
Luxembourgishvakanz
Vakanz derives from the Latin "vacans" (empty) and shares the root with English "vacant".
Maltesevaganza
The word "vaganza" in Maltese derives from the Italian word "vacanza" and also means "holiday" or "leave".
Norwegianferie
"Ferie" comes from the Latin word "feriae," which means "religious holidays" or "days of rest."
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)período de férias
In Brazil, a popular slang for 'vacation' is 'recesso', derived from Latin 'recessus' ('withdrawal', 'retreat').
Scots Gaelicsaor-làithean
The Scots Gaelic term "saor-làithean" can also refer to holidays or days off from work.
Spanishvacaciones
The word "vacaciones" comes from the Latin "vacatio," meaning "freedom from work or duty."
Swedishsemester
The Swedish word "semester" can also mean "term" in an academic context.
Welshgwyliau
"Gwyliau" is also a noun meaning "watches" or "services" in a religious context, akin to the English word "vigils."

Vacation in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianадпачынак
The word
Bosnianodmor
The word 'odmor' is derived from the Slavic root 'od' (off), meaning 'to rest or take a break'.
Bulgarianваканция
The word "ваканция" is derived from the Latin word "vacatio", meaning "emptiness" or "void", and is still used in this sense in several languages, including English, where it primarily refers to a period of unoccupied time during which a position or office is vacant.
Czechdovolená
Dovolená can also refer to a formal request for time off work.
Estonianpuhkus
The word "puhkus" likely derives from the Proto-Finnic word "*pūku" meaning "to blow" or "to rest", and is cognate with the Finnish word "puhua" meaning "to speak".
Finnishloma
In Finnish, 'loma' can also refer to a furlough or leave of absence and has been used with this meaning since the 19th century.
Hungarianvakáció
The word "vakáció" derives from the Latin "vacatio", meaning "freedom from work".
Latvianatvaļinājums
“Atvaļinājums” derives from “atvadīt”/“to dismiss” but can also refer to temporary release or discharge from certain responsibilities.
Lithuanianatostogos
The word "atostogos" in Lithuanian is derived from the Latin word "dies festi" (religious holidays), and it originally referred to Catholic religious holidays.
Macedonianгодишен одмор
The Slavic root of “годишен одмор” (“vacation”) refers to annual rotation in agricultural work.
Polishwakacje
The Polish word "wakacje" derives from the Latin "vacatio" which means "freedom from duties".
Romanianconcediu de odihna
The phrase "concediu de odihna" is a Romanian idiomatic expression that literally translates to "leave for rest" or "leave for relaxation."
Russianотпуск
The word "Отпуск" (vacation) in Russian comes from the verb "отпускать" (to let go).
Serbianгодишњи одмор
In the 15th century, the word "годишњи" meant "annual", so "годишњи одмор" originally meant "an annual period of rest".
Slovakdovolenka
Dovolenka is also used to refer to a leave of absence, such as maternity leave.
Slovenianpočitnice
The word "počitnice" is derived from the Slavic root "počiti", meaning "to rest" or "to relax".
Ukrainianвідпустка
The word "відпустка" can also mean "leave of absence" or "furlough".

Vacation in South Asian Languages

Bengaliঅবকাশ
The word "অবকাশ" in Bengali can also mean "space" as in outer space, highlighting its connection to the idea of freedom and vastness often associated with vacations.
Gujaratiવેકેશન
Hindiछुट्टी
In Hindi, छुट्टी can also mean a leave of absence from work or school, or a holiday.
Kannadaರಜೆ
The word "ರಜೆ" (rāje) is derived from the Proto-Dravidian root *ūr-, meaning "to rest" or "to be at leisure".
Malayalamഅവധിക്കാലം
"അവധിക്കാലം" is a Sanskrit word derived from "ava" ("down") and "dhika" ("day"), and it can mean either "vacation" or "afternoon" (when the sun moves down).
Marathiसुट्टी
The word "सुट्टी" can also refer to a break from work or school, or a period of time off from work or school.
Nepaliछुट्टी
"छुट्टी" is a Nepali word that can also mean "leave" or "holiday" in English.
Punjabiਛੁੱਟੀ
The word 'ਛੁੱਟੀ' (vacation) in Punjabi comes from the Sanskrit word 'śrānta,' meaning 'tired' or 'wearied,' and refers to a period of rest and relaxation.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)නිවාඩුව
The word නිවාඩුව (niwāduwa) in Sinhala is derived from the Sanskrit word 'nivāra' meaning 'a dwelling place' or 'a place of rest'.
Tamilவிடுமுறை
The term 'விடுமுறை' also refers to a break from work or school, typically taken for recreation or travel.
Teluguసెలవు
"సెలవు" is a Telugu word derived from Sanskrit "śrām" (meaning tired or fatigue) and "áva" (meaning away from), referring to a period of rest from work or study.
Urduچھٹی
چھٹی shares the etymology of the Sanskrit word 'ṣaṣṭha', meaning 'sixth', and was previously used to refer to a day off in the midst of a six-day work week.

Vacation in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)假期
假期 is a compound word deriving from the characters 假 (temporary) and 期 (period), originally referring to a break in a student's schedule, but now commonly refers to vacation time in general.
Chinese (Traditional)假期
"假期" 在唐朝以前写作 "假合",是让囚犯回家探亲探视的意思。
Japanese休暇
"休暇" is a word consisting of two kanji: "休", which means "rest" or "recess", and "暇", which can mean "break" or "leisure time".
Korean휴가
휴가 (hu-ga) is a Korean word derived from the Japanese word "kyu-ka" (休暇), which means "leave" or "temporary absence from duty."
Mongolianамралт
Myanmar (Burmese)အားလပ်ရက်

Vacation in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianliburan
"Liburan" is derived from the Dutch word "vrij" meaning "free", referring to the freedom from work or school during a vacation.
Javanesepreinan
The word 'preinan' originally meant 'to be happy' or 'to have a good time'.
Khmerវិស្សមកាល
Laoພັກ
Lao ພັກ has also been used historically to mean “to retire” and “to withdraw”.
Malaypercutian
The word "percutian" in Malay originates from the word "percutian" in Sanskrit, meaning "a break or recess".
Thaiวันหยุดพักผ่อน
วันหยุดพักผ่อน (vacation) derives from Latin "vacare," which initially meant “to be empty,” and later "to be free of obligation."
Vietnamesekỳ nghỉ
The word "kỳ nghỉ" is derived from Chinese and literally means "a period of cessation".
Filipino (Tagalog)bakasyon

Vacation in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanitətil
The word "tətil" also means "strike" in Azerbaijani and shares its etymology with the French word "arrêt".
Kazakhдемалыс
The word "демалыс" is of Turkic origin and is related to the word "отдых" (rest).
Kyrgyzөргүү
"Өргүү" means "vacation" in Kyrgyz, but it can also mean "break" or "holiday".
Tajikтаътил
The word "таътил" in Tajik can also refer to a holiday or a period of time when something is suspended.
Turkmendynç alyş
Uzbekta'til
The word "ta'til" in Uzbek can also refer to religious holidays or breaks from religious fasting.
Uyghurتەتىل

Vacation in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianwā hoʻomaha
The phrase literally translates as "time for rest" and reflects the significance of rest and relaxation in Hawaiian culture.
Maorihararei
The word "hararei" in Māori also refers to a place of refuge or sanctuary.
Samoantafaoga
In Samoan, the word tafaoga is the name of the traditional social institution that protects people who are traveling or seek refuge from harm.
Tagalog (Filipino)bakasyon
The Tagalog word "bakasyon" is derived from the Spanish word "vacacion", which means both "vacation" and "vacancy".

Vacation in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarasamarawi
Guaranipytu'u

Vacation in International Languages

Esperantoferioj
The Esperanto word "ferioj" derives from Latin "feriae", originally meaning a religious holiday.
Latinvacation
The Latin "vacāre" has multiple meanings, including "to be free, unoccupied, or at leisure" and "to become empty or vacant"

Vacation in Others Languages

Greekδιακοπές
The word διακοπές is derived from the verb διακόπτω (diakoptō), meaning "to cut off".
Hmonglub caij so
The phrase "lub caij so" is the Hmong translation of the English word "vacation" but it directly translates to "play time".
Kurdishkarberdî
Karberdî, which is an old Kurdish word that means 'spring, summer', is a word that has been used for centuries to refer to the concept of 'vacation'.
Turkishtatil
"Tatil" is derived from the Arabic word "ta'til", meaning "suspension" or "cessation".
Xhosaiholide
The term "iholide" refers to a break from customary duties or routine tasks.
Yiddishוואַקאַציע
The Yiddish word "וואַקאַציע" (vakatsye) is derived from the Latin word "vacatio", meaning "freedom from work". It can also refer to a period of time spent away from home for recreation or relaxation.
Zuluiholide
"Iholide" is also the Zulu word for "freedom".
Assameseছুটী
Aymarasamarawi
Bhojpuriछुट्टी
Dhivehiދަތުރު
Dogriछुट्टियां
Filipino (Tagalog)bakasyon
Guaranipytu'u
Ilocanobakasion
Krioɔlide
Kurdish (Sorani)پشوو
Maithiliछुट्टी
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯁꯨꯇꯤ
Mizochawlhhun
Oromoboqonnaa
Odia (Oriya)ଛୁଟି
Quechuasamay pacha
Sanskritअवकाशः
Tatarял
Tigrinyaምንፋስ
Tsongankarhi wo wisa

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