Have a nice holiday? Or is it “vacation”?

It’s great to take some paid time off from work and enjoy the summertime, but what is that time called? British English and American English have different terms for the same concept.

For people using British English, annual leave is called “holiday(s)”.  American English calls yearly paid time off “vacation”.

 The differences don’t stop at the name.  In the UK, full-time employees must receive at least 28 days of holiday per year. In the US, the amount of paid time off isn’t regulated by law and there’s no minimum amount of paid time off per year for employees.

Mindy Ehrhart Krull
About the author

Originally from the US, Mindy Ehrhart Krull holds a master's degree in journalism and has been teaching English and working as an author, editor and proofreader in Germany since 2008.

At DELS, she leads a team of several English trainers and language professionals.

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