die
Vollpension
🍽️ What does die Vollpension mean?
Die Vollpension (VP) means full board. It refers to a type of accommodation arrangement (e.g., in a hotel or guesthouse) where three main meals per day are included in the price: Frühstück (breakfast), Mittagessen (lunch), and Abendessen (dinner). Drinks are often, but not always, charged separately (except sometimes with meals).
This contrasts with:
- Halbpension (HP): Half board, usually includes breakfast and dinner.
- Übernachtung mit Frühstück (ÜF): Bed and breakfast (B&B), only breakfast is included.
- Nur Übernachtung / Selbstverpflegung: Accommodation only / self-catering, no meals included.
🚨 Caution: The exact scope of _die Vollpension (e.g., type of meals, included drinks) can vary depending on the provider. Always read the offer details carefully!
🧐 Grammar of Vollpension
Die Vollpension is a feminine noun. Its article is die. The plural form (die Vollpensionen) exists grammatically but is rarely used in the context of hotel bookings. People usually refer to Angebote mit Vollpension (offers with full board).
Declension (Singular)
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Vollpension |
| Genitive | der | Vollpension |
| Dative | der | Vollpension |
| Accusative | die | Vollpension |
Example Sentences
- Wir haben für unseren Urlaub die Vollpension gebucht.
(We booked full board for our vacation.) - Der Preis der Vollpension war überraschend günstig.
(The price of the full board was surprisingly low.) - Mit der Vollpension mussten wir uns ums Essen keine Sorgen machen.
(With full board, we didn't have to worry about food.) - Bieten Sie auch Zimmer ohne die Vollpension an?
(Do you also offer rooms without full board?)
🏨 When to use Vollpension?
The term die Vollpension is primarily used in the tourism and hospitality industry. You'll encounter it when:
- Booking hotel rooms or holiday apartments
- Describing package holidays
- Looking at offers from health resorts or sanatoriums
The abbreviation VP is widely used in travel brochures and on booking websites.
Comparison
- Vollpension (VP): Ideal for travelers who don't want to worry about meals and plan to spend most of their time at the hotel or resort. Often popular with families or in all-inclusive resorts.
- Halbpension (HP): Good for travelers who are out and about during the day and only want breakfast and dinner at the hotel.
- Übernachtung mit Frühstück (ÜF): The most flexible option for travelers who want to try local restaurants for lunch and dinner.
🧠 Mnemonics for Vollpension
Article: Think of "the decision" to book full board. "Decision" ends in -sion, similar to Pension. Many feminine nouns in German end in -sion, so use die.
Meaning: Voll sounds like "full" in English. So, _die Vollpension_ means you get the "full" package of meals – you'll always be "voll" (full)!
🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning)
- Volle Verpflegung: Literally 'full catering/meals'. A common descriptive phrase.
- All Inclusive (AI): Often more comprehensive than full board, usually including drinks and snacks between meals as well. Vollpension can be part of an AI package.
Antonyms/Contrasts (Opposite Meaning)
- Halbpension (HP): Half board (usually breakfast + dinner).
- Übernachtung mit Frühstück (ÜF): Bed and breakfast (B&B).
- Selbstverpflegung / Nur Übernachtung: Self-catering / Accommodation only.
😂 A Little Joke
German: Fragt der Hotelgast den Kellner: "Ist das hier Vollpension?" Kellner: "Nein, das ist das Tagesmenü. Wenn Sie die Vollpension sehen wollen, müssen Sie bis zur Rente warten!"
English Translation: A hotel guest asks the waiter: "Is this full board (Vollpension)?" Waiter: "No, this is the daily menu. If you want to see the full pension (Vollpension - wordplay, also means retirement pension), you'll have to wait until retirement!" 😉
✍️ Poem about Full Board
German:
Die Sonne scheint, der Urlaub winkt,
kein Magenknurren, das uns zwingt.
Frühstück, Mittag, Abendbrot,
die Vollpension kennt keine Not.
Kein Kochen, Spülen, Planungsstress,
nur Schlemmen pur, ist das nicht kess?
Drum buchen wir, ganz ohne Zaudern,
die Vollpension, um froh zu plaudern.
English Translation:
The sun shines bright, vacation calls,
No rumbling stomach that enthralls.
Breakfast, lunch, and evening meal,
Full board ensures a happy feel.
No cooking, washing, planning stress,
Just pure indulgence, oh what finesse!
So we book now, without delay,
Full board, to chat the happy day.
❓ Riddle Time
German:
Ich biete dir im Urlaubsquartier
drei Mahlzeiten, das glaube mir.
Früh, mittags, abends wirst du satt,
damit dein Magen Ruhe hat.
Was bin ich?
... Die Vollpension
English Translation:
I offer you in your holiday stay
Three meals a day, believe what I say.
Morning, noon, evening, you'll eat your fill,
So your stomach can just be still.
What am I?
... Full board (Die Vollpension)
💡 Other Information
Word Composition
Die Vollpension is a compound noun:
- voll: Adjective meaning "full" or "complete".
- Pension: In this context, it doesn't just refer to the accommodation (like die Pension as a small guesthouse), but in an older sense also to board and lodging, i.e., the provision of meals (compare French "pension" = board money, allowance; Latin "pensio" = payment).
Cultural Note
In Germany, Vollpension used to be very common for holiday trips, especially for family vacations by the North Sea, Baltic Sea, or in the Alps. Today, it is often replaced by All-Inclusive offers or supplemented by more flexible meal plans like Halbpension or breakfast only, as travelers desire more individual freedom in planning their day and choosing restaurants.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Vollpension?
The word "Vollpension" is feminine, so the correct article is die Vollpension. It refers to a hotel or travel service that includes accommodation as well as three daily meals (Frühstück, Mittagessen, Abendessen - breakfast, lunch, dinner).