Holidays vocabulary in French, including common words and phrases for celebrations, travel, and vacation planning.
This section covers essential French vocabulary related to holidays, including words for different types of celebrations, travel terms, and common phrases used when planning or enjoying a vacation. Each subsection includes a brief explanation and a table with examples to help you practice.
Types of Holidays
French has specific words for different kinds of holidays and vacation periods. Here are some common terms:
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fête (f.) | fêtes | celebration/party | celebrations/parties | Nous avons une fête ce soir. | We have a party tonight. |
| vacances (f. pl.) | – | vacation/holidays | – | Je pars en vacances demain. | I'm going on vacation tomorrow. |
| jour férié (m.) | jours fériés | public holiday | public holidays | Le 1er mai est un jour férié en France. | May 1st is a public holiday in France. |
| congé (m.) | congés | time off/leave | – | J'ai pris cinq jours de congé. | I took five days off. |
| séjour (m.) | séjours | stay/trip | stays/trips | Notre séjour à Nice était merveilleux. | Our stay in Nice was wonderful. |
| voyage (m.) | voyages | trip/journey | trips/journeys | Le voyage a duré huit heures. | The trip lasted eight hours. |
J'ai pris cinq jours de ___.
Which French word means 'time off' or 'leave'?
congé
'Congé' means 'time off' or 'leave'. The sentence means 'I took five days off.'
Le 1er mai est un ___ en France.
How do you say 'public holiday' in French?
jour férié
'Jour férié' means 'public holiday' in French. May 1st is a public holiday in France.
Common Holiday Activities
Here are some actions and activities you might do during holidays, expressed in French:
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| se reposer | – | to rest | – | J'aime me reposer à la plage. | I like to rest on the beach. |
| voyager | – | to travel | – | Nous aimons voyager en train. | We like to travel by train. |
| visiter | – | to visit | – | On va visiter un musée demain. | We're going to visit a museum tomorrow. |
| fêter | – | to celebrate | – | Ils vont fêter leur anniversaire. | They are going to celebrate their birthday. |
| dîner | – | to have dinner | – | Nous dînons au restaurant ce soir. | We're having dinner at the restaurant tonight. |
| faire une réservation | – | to make a reservation | – | J'ai fait une réservation à l'hôtel. | I made a reservation at the hotel. |
Holiday Destinations
These are common types of places where people go for their holidays:
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| plage (f.) | plages | beach | beaches | La plage est très fréquentée en été. | The beach is very crowded in summer. |
| montagne (f.) | montagnes | mountain | mountains | Nous allons à la montagne ce week-end. | We're going to the mountains this weekend. |
| ville (f.) | villes | city | cities | J'adore visiter des grandes villes. | I love visiting big cities. |
| campagne (f.) | – | countryside | – | On passe le week-end à la campagne. | We're spending the weekend in the countryside. |
| île (f.) | îles | island | islands | Elle rêve d'aller sur une île déserte. | She dreams of going to a deserted island. |
| hôtel (m.) | hôtels | hotel | hotels | L'hôtel est situé au centre-ville. | The hotel is located downtown. |
Travel and Accommodation
Key vocabulary for getting around and finding a place to stay during your holiday:
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| billet (m.) | billets | ticket | tickets | J'ai acheté un billet de train. | I bought a train ticket. |
| passeport (m.) | passeports | passport | passports | N'oublie pas ton passeport ! | Don't forget your passport! |
| valise (f.) | valises | suitcase | suitcases | Ma valise est trop lourde. | My suitcase is too heavy. |
| chambre (f.) | chambres | room | rooms | Nous avons réservé une chambre double. | We booked a double room. |
| vol (m.) | vols | flight | flights | Notre vol part à 18 heures. | Our flight leaves at 6 PM. |
| hôtel (m.) | hôtels | hotel | hotels | L'hôtel propose une piscine. | The hotel offers a swimming pool. |
Holiday Greetings and Phrases
These common holiday-related expressions will help you join in on conversations and send good wishes in French:
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joyeux Noël | – | Merry Christmas | – | Joyeux Noël à toute la famille ! | Merry Christmas to the whole family! |
| Bonne année | – | Happy New Year | – | Bonne année à tous mes amis ! | Happy New Year to all my friends! |
| Bonnes vacances | – | Have a good vacation | – | Bonnes vacances et profite bien ! | Have a good vacation and enjoy yourself! |
| Bon voyage | – | Have a good trip | – | Bon voyage et reviens-nous vite. | Have a good trip and come back soon. |
| Meilleurs vœux | – | Best wishes | – | Meilleurs vœux pour cette nouvelle année. | Best wishes for this new year. |
Summary
This guide covers essential French vocabulary for holidays, including types of holidays, common activities, destinations, travel and accommodation terms, and useful greetings. By practicing these words and phrases, you'll be better prepared to talk about your vacation plans and enjoy your time with French speakers.
Flashcards (1 of 29)
- English Singular: celebration/party
- English Plural: celebrations/parties
- English Example: We have a party tonight.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
