der
Familienurlaub
🏖️ What exactly is a Familienurlaub?
Der Familienurlaub refers to a vacation or holiday that a family takes together. The focus is on shared experiences and relaxation for all family members – from children to grandparents.
It's a compound word (ein Kompositum) made up of:
- die Familie: A group of people connected by kinship or partnership.
- der Urlaub: A period when one doesn't have to work or go to school and can relax or travel.
The article is der (masculine) because the base word "Urlaub" is masculine (der Urlaub).
🚨 Achtung: There is only this one meaning and the article der.
🧐 Grammar in Detail: Der Familienurlaub
The noun "Familienurlaub" is masculine. Here are the declension tables:
Singular Declension
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Who/What?) | der Familienurlaub | ein Familienurlaub |
| Genitive (Whose?) | des Familienurlaubs / Familienurlaubes | eines Familienurlaubs / Familienurlaubes |
| Dative (To/For Whom?) | dem Familienurlaub(e) | einem Familienurlaub(e) |
| Accusative (Whom/What?) | den Familienurlaub | einen Familienurlaub |
Plural Declension
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Familienurlaube | Familienurlaube |
| Genitive | der Familienurlaube | Familienurlaube |
| Dative | den Familienurlauben | Familienurlauben |
| Accusative | die Familienurlaube | Familienurlaube |
Example Sentences (Beispielsätze)
- Nominativ: Der Familienurlaub war dieses Jahr besonders schön.
(The family vacation was especially nice this year.) - Genitiv: Die Planung des Familienurlaubs hat viel Zeit gekostet.
(Planning the family vacation took a lot of time.) - Dativ: Wir erzählen allen von dem schönen Familienurlaub.
(We are telling everyone about the nice family vacation.) - Akkusativ: Wir buchen einen Familienurlaub am Meer.
(We are booking a family vacation by the sea.) - Plural: Viele Familien machen im Sommer ihre Familienurlaube.
(Many families take their family vacations in the summer.)
🗺️ When and How to Use "Familienurlaub"?
The term der Familienurlaub is used to describe a specific type of vacation where the family unit is the main focus.
- Typical Contexts: Travel planning (Reiseplanung), conversations about leisure activities (Freizeitaktivitäten), advertising for family-friendly hotels or destinations, personal stories.
- Differentiation: Unlike a business trip (Geschäftsreise), a singles' vacation (Singleurlaub), a party trip (Partyurlaub), or an educational trip (Bildungsreise), the focus here is clearly on joint activities and relaxation for all age groups within the family.
- Common Collocations: People often talk about "einen Familienurlaub machen" (to take a family vacation), "einen Familienurlaub planen" (to plan a family vacation), or "im Familienurlaub sein" (to be on a family vacation).
- Target Groups: Parents with children, grandparents with grandchildren, sometimes extended families.
Examples of typical Familienurlaube include trips to the beach (an den Strand), to the mountains (in die Berge), to amusement parks (in Freizeitparks), or to farms (auf Bauernhöfe).
💡 Mnemonics to Remember
Article Mnemonic (der): Think of der Urlaub (the vacation). The last word in a German compound noun usually determines its gender. Since it's der Urlaub, it's also der Familienurlaub. Or imagine Der Dad plans den vacation for the family.
Meaning Mnemonic: The word literally tells you: It's Urlaub (vacation/holiday) for the Familie (family). Picture a happy family playing on the beach – that's der Familienurlaub.
🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms
Synonyms (Synonyme - similar meaning):
Antonyms (Antonyme - opposite meaning):
- Geschäftsreise / Dienstreise (Business trip)
- Singleurlaub / Singlereise (Singles' vacation/trip)
- Alleinreise (Solo trip)
- Bildungsurlaub (Educational leave/vacation)
- Partyurlaub (Party vacation)
⚠️ Caution: The word "Ferien" (plural), often meaning school holidays/vacation time, can sometimes be used similarly, leading to "Familienferien". However, "Familienurlaub" is more common for the actual trip itself.
😄 A Little Joke
German: Fragt der Lehrer: "Was ist der Unterschied zwischen Ferien und Urlaub?" Meldet sich Fritzchen: "Wenn die Eltern froh sind, dass wir weg sind, sind es Ferien. Wenn wir froh sind, dass die Eltern weg sind, ist es Urlaub." Lehrer: "Und was ist ein Familienurlaub?" Fritzchen: "Wenn alle froh sind, wenn er vorbei ist?"
English Translation: The teacher asks: "What's the difference between school holidays (Ferien) and vacation (Urlaub)?" Little Fritz pipes up: "When the parents are happy we're gone, it's Ferien. When we're happy the parents are gone, it's Urlaub." Teacher: "And what's a family vacation (Familienurlaub)?" Fritz: "When everyone's happy when it's over?"
📜 A Short Poem
German:
Sandburg bauen, Wellen jagen,
Gemeinsam schöne Stunden wagen.
Papa, Mama, Kinderschar,
Der Familienurlaub, wunderbar!
Sonne, Lachen, Eis am Stiel,
Zusammen sein, das ist das Ziel.
English Translation:
Building sandcastles, chasing waves,
Daring lovely hours together saves.
Dad, Mom, the flock of kids,
The family vacation, wonderful bids!
Sun, laughter, popsicle treat,
Being together, oh so sweet (that's the goal).
🧩 Little Riddle
German:
Ich bin eine Reise, groß und klein,
Hier sind Mama, Papa, Kinderlein.
Wir packen Koffer, fahren fort,
An einen schönen, fernen Ort.
Mal Meer, mal Berg, mal Stadt, mal Land,
Hauptsache, wir sind Hand in Hand.
Was bin ich?
(Lösung: Der Familienurlaub)
English Translation:
I am a journey, big and small,
Here are Mom, Dad, children all.
We pack our bags, we drive away,
To a lovely, faraway place to stay.
Sometimes sea, mountain, city, or land,
The main thing is we're hand in hand.
What am I?
(Answer: The family vacation / Der Familienurlaub)
🌐 More Interesting Facts
Word Composition (Wortzusammensetzung):
As mentioned earlier, "Familienurlaub" is composed of:
- Familie(n): The linking 'n' (Fugen-n) is used here for connection.
- Urlaub: The base word, which determines the article (der) and the grammatical gender (masculine).
Cultural Significance:
In Germany, the Familienurlaub holds significant cultural value. It's considered an important time for family bonding and shared recovery from daily life. Many tour operators and accommodations offer special packages tailored to families.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Familienurlaub?
The word "Familienurlaub" is masculine. The correct article is der Familienurlaub (in Nominative singular). It derives from der Urlaub (the vacation).