noun
holidays, vacation
A2
Ferien is a plural-only noun meaning holidays or vacation (school break). Gender: die. It has no singular form; only plural declension (die Ferien, den Ferien). Use plural articles and verbs: die Ferien sind schön. Commonly used for school or public holidays in German.
Examples
In zwei Wochen beginnen meine Ferien.
My vacation starts in two weeks.
Die Schule begann später, weil viele Familien noch in den Ferien waren.
School started later because many families were still on holiday.
Wir haben im Juli Ferien.
We have holidays in July.
Details
Mnemonics
Picture a calendar with many days circled and the word 'Ferien' across the whole week.
Sounds like 'fairy-en' — imagine little holiday fairies arriving for time off.
die — used as 'die Ferien' (plural); remember it's plural-only like 'the holidays'.
Notes
This noun is typically used only in the plural in German (pluralia tantum). There is no common singular form. | Plural-only noun; singular forms are not applicable.