It’s the time you look forward to, plan carefully, and never want to end. In German, it’s der Urlaub. This is your German word of the day, and it’s essential for talking about time off—whether you’re relaxing at the beach or staying home with no meetings.
The noun Urlaub means vacation or holiday (in the sense of time off work), and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. Germans take their vacation time seriously—and the word pops up everywhere from office calendars to train stations.
It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Urlaub (still figuring out gender? Our video lesson will help you crack it for good).
Pronunciation
Urlaub is pronounced [OOR-laup].
Ur like “oor” in door,
laub rhymes with “out” but with a soft “b” at the end,
Stress is on the first syllable: UR-laub
It sounds light and freeing—just like it should.
Example sentences:
Ich habe im Juli drei Wochen Urlaub.
I have three weeks of vacation in July.
Der Urlaub war total entspannend.
The vacation was totally relaxing.
Nuance and usage tips
Urlaub is the standard word for vacation in the sense of time off from work or school. It’s not used for public holidays (that’s Feiertag).
You’ll commonly see:
Urlaub nehmen – to take time off
im Urlaub sein – to be on vacation
Urlaubsantrag – vacation request (official form at work)
Urlaubsplanung – vacation planning
Urlaubsziel – vacation destination
Not to be confused with:
Ferien – used more often for school holidays or longer breaks
Feiertag – public holiday or legal day off
How does this word come up in real conversations?
All the time—especially in workplaces or when chatting about travel.
“Wann hast du wieder Urlaub?” – When are you off again?
“Ich brauche dringend Urlaub.” – I really need a vacation.
“Wir fahren im Urlaub nach Italien.” – We’re going to Italy on vacation.
And of course, in offices all over Germany:
“Urlaub genehmigt.” – Vacation approved.
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Mara: Und, wie war dein Urlaub?
Ben: Super! Sonne, Strand und kein Wecker.
Mara: Klingt perfekt. Wo warst du?
Ben: In Portugal – eine Woche lang nur entspannen.
Mara: So, how was your vacation?
Ben: Amazing! Sun, beach, and no alarm clock.
Mara: Sounds perfect. Where were you?
Ben: In Portugal – just relaxing for a whole week.
Grammatical case examples:
Nominative:
Der Urlaub war viel zu kurz.
The vacation was way too short.
Accusative:
Ich plane meinen nächsten Urlaub.
I’m planning my next vacation.
Dative:
Im Urlaub lese ich immer viel.
On vacation I always read a lot.
Genitive:
Die Erinnerungen des Urlaubs bleiben.
The memories of the vacation remain.
Masculine case pattern: der, den, dem, des
Word variations and language tidbits
Helpful related terms:
Urlaubsreise – vacation trip
Urlaubsfoto – vacation photo
Urlaubsvertretung – vacation cover (someone who takes over your work)
Urlaub machen – to go on vacation
Urlaubsstimmung – vacation mood
Cultural note: In Germany, Urlaub is considered essential to well-being. Most employees get 25–30 vacation days per year—and it’s normal to take long stretches off during summer or Christmas.
📘 Duden entry
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