3 syllables: Va, ca, tion. Stress on ca.
vay-KAY-shuhn
/veɪˈkeɪʃən/
Vacation is pronounced vay-KAY-shuhn (/veɪˈkeɪʃən/). It has three syllables (Va-ca-tion), with the stress on "ca". Vacation is a noun meaning a period of time away from work or regular duties for rest or travel. It typically refers to a planned, extended break, or a specific trip taken during that break. The word emphasizes leisure, relaxation, and time off, often linked to travel or recreational activities.
nounVacation is a noun meaning a period of time away from work or regular duties for rest or travel. It typically refers to a planned, extended break, or a specific trip taken during that break. The word emphasizes leisure, relaxation, and time off, often linked to travel or recreational activities.
"We’re taking a two-week vacation in July."
"She booked a vacation to the sunny coast last month."
"During my vacation, I learned to surf and explored the local markets."
You pronounce it as /vəˈkeɪʃn/ in US and UK. The syllable stress is on the second syllable: va-CA-tion. Start with a schwa /ə/ in the first syllable, then a long /eɪ/ in the second, followed by /ʃ/ and then /n/. Mouth position: relaxed initial vowel, then a long diphthong /eɪ/ with tongue high-mid, lips slightly spread, then a palato-alveolar /ʃ/ with the tongue approaching the palate mid-high, finishing with a light /n/. For audio reference, listen to native speakers saying “vacation” in sentences on Pronounce or Cambridge audio.
Common mistakes include saying /væˈkeɪʃn/ with a short first syllable like ‘vac’ as in vacuum, or reducing the second syllable to /keɪ/ without the /ʃ/ onset to /ʃn/. Some learners flap the final /t/? not present; the ending is /ʃn/, often devoicing to /ʃ/ or dropping the /n/ in casual speech. Correction tips: keep the second syllable stressed with /eɪ/ and then deliver the /ʃn/ cluster clearly; practice with a finger-tlicking motion to ensure the /ʃ/ blends into /n/. Use slow, exaggerated speech then normalize.
In US English, primary stress on the second syllable with /əˈkeɪʃn/ and a rhotic tendency in connected speech may color the first syllable as a schwa; non-rhotic speakers still maintain /ə/ in the first syllable. UK English keeps /əˈkeɪʃn/ but with slightly crisper /ɪ/ or /ə/ in the first syllable depending on region, and may scale the vowel quality in /eɪ/. Australian English resembles UK in rhoticity being non-rhotic in some contexts but often closer to US in pronunciation of vowels with less closing of the /ɪ/ vowel; all share the /ʃn/ ending, though realization of /ɒ/ vs /ə/ can vary slightly.
The difficulty lies in the strong, enlarging diphthong in the stressed second syllable /eɪ/ and the fast, connected /ʃn/ cluster that follows. Treated as a simple two-syllable word by some, the /n/ after /ʃ/ can blur in fast speech, and the first syllable’s weak vowel /ə/ can be reduced, leading to 'v' rather than 'və'. Emphasize the /eɪ/ and clearly articulate /ʃn/ to avoid mispronunciations like ‘va-KAY-shun’ or ‘va-KAY-shehn’.
Focus on the transition from /eɪ/ to /ʃ/; keep the tongue high for /eɪ/ and then quickly glide into /ʃ/ with a smooth palatal seal before releasing /n/. This subtle glide makes the word sound native and prevents the common error of separating /ʃ/ from /n/ or merging into /t/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Vacation"!
US: rhoticity; emphasize /əˈkeɪʃn/ with clear /ə/ in first syllable and /eɪ/ in second; AU: more connected speech, but maintain /ˈkeɪ/ with a brighter /eɪ/; UK: crisper consonants, slightly shorter vowels, keep /ə/ in first syllable, /eɪ/ in second.
Vacation derives from the Latin word vacatio, meaning freedom or exemption from obligation, especially from work. The root vac-, meaning empty or free, appears in various forms across Romance languages (vacanza in Italian, vacance in French). In English, vacation entered Middle English via Old French vacances in the 14th century, originally denoting a state of exemption from military service or duty, and later the more general sense of leisure time away from work. By the 17th–18th centuries, it broadened to include time off from work for travel or rest, aligning with modern usage. The evolution reflects social shifts toward paid leave and tourism, with the term becoming common in administrative and travel contexts as economies and travel opportunities grew. First known uses appear in legal and administrative documents describing periods of leave, then in travel and leisure literature as tourism developed. Historically, the word also carried religious connotations of sabbatical rest in some contexts, before secular usage predominated in the 19th and 20th centuries.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "Vacation" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Vacation" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Vacation" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "Vacation"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
