German · Travel & Getting Around
"Vacation (holiday)" in German: Urlaub
der Urlaub
Note: also: die Ferien
Vacation in German is der Urlaub for time off work or a trip. Say Ich bin im Urlaub or Ich nehme Urlaub. School and university breaks are often die Ferien.
Out-of-office
Ich bin zwei Wochen im Urlaub.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce Urlaub
Say it
OOR-lowp
/ˈuːɐ̯laʊ̯p/
OOR-lowp. Soft u as oo. Soft au like ow. Soft final p.
"Vacation (holiday)" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| der Urlaub | vacation / leave Work leave and holiday trips. | Work leave and holiday trips. |
| im Urlaub | on vacation Where you are during time off. | Where you are during time off. |
| Urlaub nehmen | to take vacation Requesting days off. | Requesting days off. |
| die Ferien | holidays / break School or seasonal breaks. | School or seasonal breaks. |
How to use Urlaub in real life
- 1Out-of-office
Ich bin zwei Wochen im Urlaub.
I'm on vacation for two weeks.
Im Urlaub = on vacation.
- 2At work
Kann ich nächsten Monat Urlaub nehmen?
Can I take vacation next month?
Urlaub nehmen for requesting leave.
- 3After a trip
Der Urlaub in Portugal war perfekt.
The vacation in Portugal was perfect.
Der Urlaub + place.
Mistakes English speakers make with Urlaub
Incorrect: die Urlaub
Correct: der Urlaub
Urlaub is masculine: der.
Incorrect: Ich bin in Vacation.
Correct: Ich bin im Urlaub.
Use im Urlaub, not English vacation.
Good to know
Paid Urlaub is a big workplace topic in Germany; people plan weeks ahead. Ferien usually means school holidays. Asking Wo warst du im Urlaub? is friendly small talk after someone returns.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Catching up after time off
ChatPal
Wie war dein Urlaub am Meer?
How was your vacation by the sea?
You
Wunderschön. Ich brauche noch mehr Urlaub.
Wonderful. I need even more vacation.
ChatPal
Verstehe. Wann gehst du wieder?
I get it. When are you going again?
You
Im Herbst. Dann ist der Urlaub ruhiger.
In the fall. Then vacation is quieter.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Vacation (holiday)" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Vacation (holiday)" in German
How do you say vacation?
Der Urlaub.
On vacation?
Im Urlaub.
School break?
Often die Ferien.
Gender?
Masculine: der Urlaub.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
