vacation / leave
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vacation
A period of time during which you do not go to work or school and can rest or travel. It refers to the time off work to which you are entitled by law or contract.
Dieses Jahr machen wir im August Urlaub am Meer.
This year we are taking a vacation by the sea in August.
to take/get leave
The permission or act of being released from work or duty, for example military service, for a specific period of time.
Ich muss mir für den Umzug nächste Woche zwei Tage Urlaub nehmen.
I have to take two days of leave for the move next week.
The word 'Urlaub' (vacation / leave) historically comes from 'Erlaubnis' (permission). Originally, it was the permission from a lord for his knight or servant to leave. This origin explains why people still say 'Urlaub beantragen' (to request leave) or 'Urlaub bekommen' (to get leave) today.
Ich habe für nächste Woche Urlaub beantragt.
I requested leave for next week.
'Urlaub' (vacation / leave) is a noun that is almost always used in the singular, even when talking about a longer period of time or several trips. You do not say 'zwei Urlaube' (two vacations), but for example 'zweimal Urlaub' (vacation twice) or 'zwei Wochen Urlaub' (two weeks of vacation/leave).
Ich hatte dieses Jahr noch keinen Urlaub.
I haven't had any vacation yet this year.
Pay attention to the difference in prepositions: you go 'in den Urlaub' (on vacation; direction, accusative), but you are 'im Urlaub' (on vacation; state/location, dative).
Nächste Woche fahren wir endlich in den Urlaub.
Next week we're finally going on vacation.
Around the topic of 'Urlaub' (vacation / leave), there are fixed verb combinations: you 'hat' Urlaub (have vacation/leave; state), 'macht' Urlaub (go on vacation; activity), 'nimmt' Urlaub (take leave; decide to do so), or 'bekommt' Urlaub (get leave; permission).
Ich habe nächste Woche Urlaub.
I have vacation next week.
summer vacation
Urlaub generally refers to personal time off for relaxation or travel. Sommerurlaub is more specific and refers to a vacation during the summer months. If the time off is not in summer or the season is unimportant, Urlaub is the better choice.
Nina verbringt ihren Urlaub dieses Jahr im Oktober am Meer.
Nina is spending her vacation by the sea this year in October.
Nina verbringt ihren Sommerurlaub dieses Jahr im Juli am Meer.
Nina is spending her summer vacation by the sea this year in July.
