How to Say How Was Your Holiday in Spanish | Say It Right

“¿Cómo estuvieron tus vacaciones?” is a natural, daily way to ask, using tus for someone you address as tú.

You don’t need a fancy sentence to sound natural in Spanish. You need the right verb, the right “you,” and a noun that fits what the person actually took: a day off, a trip, a break from school, or time away from work.

This page gives you the phrases Spanish speakers reach for, plus small tweaks that change the tone. You’ll get options for friends, coworkers, clients, and group chats, along with ready replies so the chat doesn’t stall.

Why This Question Feels Tricky In Spanish

In English, “holiday” can mean a trip, a day off, or a public holiday. Spanish splits those ideas across a few words. If you pick the wrong one, people still get you, but it can sound off for the moment.

Spanish also asks about the experience using verbs like estar (“to be,” as in how something went) or ir (“to go,” as in how it turned out). Both work. The choice nudges the vibe.

Choosing Between “Vacaciones,” “Feriado,” And “Fiesta”

Vacaciones points to time off from work or school, often more than one day. Feriado is a public holiday or official day off in many countries. Fiesta can mean a celebration, a party, or a festivity.

If your friend went to a wedding weekend, fiesta might fit. If they went away from work for a week, vacaciones fits. If they’re talking about a national day off, feriado or día festivo fits, depending on the country.

Picking The Right “You” Without Overthinking

Spanish forces a choice that English often hides: do you speak to the person as tú (informal) or usted (formal)? The question changes a word or two:

• Informal: “¿Cómo estuvieron tus vacaciones?”
• Formal: “¿Cómo estuvieron sus vacaciones?”

If you’re unsure, listen for what they use with you. If they call you tú, you can usually mirror it. If they use usted, match that tone.

Saying “How Was Your Holiday” In Spanish In Real Talk

These are the questions you’ll hear in daily chats. They’re short, they flow, and they don’t feel like a classroom line. Start with one, then add a follow-up that matches the answer you get.

The Go-To Question For A Friend

“¿Cómo estuvieron tus vacaciones?” works when the person had time off, took a trip, or just stepped away from routine. Using plural vacaciones is normal even for a short break.

Want it even lighter? Ask “¿Qué tal tus vacaciones?” This “what were they like” pattern is widely used. The Instituto Cervantes “¿Qué tal…?” function list includes “¿Qué tal las vacaciones?” as a model question.

A Clean Option For Coworkers And Clients

“¿Qué tal estuvieron sus vacaciones?” keeps it polite while still sounding normal. It’s also handy in emails when you want one friendly line before you get to the point.

Spanish punctuation helps you look fluent fast. Use the opening and closing marks: “¿ … ?” It’s a small detail that reads as care.

When The Person Had A Single Day Off

If they took one day, you can swap in el día libre:

• “¿Qué tal tu día libre?”
• “¿Cómo te fue en tu día libre?”

¿Cómo te fue…? is a friendly “How did it go?” that works for holidays, trips, exams, interviews—almost anything.

When They Traveled

If you know they went somewhere, you can name the trip and keep the same structure:

• “¿Cómo estuvo tu viaje?”
• “¿Qué tal el viaje?”
• “¿Cómo les fue en el viaje?” (to a couple or group)

This avoids the “holiday” vocabulary problem and goes straight to what you mean.

Phrase Options And When Each One Fits

Spanish has lots of correct choices, but each one carries a small social cue: closeness, formality, or how curious you want to sound. If you want a definition anchor for vacación, the RAE entry for “vacación” is a solid reference.

Use the table below as a pick-list when you’re drafting a message or starting a chat. Read the “best use” column first, then copy the question as-is.

Spanish Question	Best Use	Tone Note
¿Cómo estuvieron tus vacaciones?	Friends, classmates, close coworkers	Warm, direct, daily
¿Qué tal tus vacaciones?	Quick check-in, casual texting	Light, easy opener
¿Qué tal estuvieron sus vacaciones?	Bosses, clients, new contacts	Polite without sounding stiff
¿Cómo estuvo tu viaje?	When you know they traveled	Focuses on the trip, not time off
¿Cómo te fue en las vacaciones?	When you want “How did it go?”	Friendly, slightly more personal
¿Lo pasaste bien en las vacaciones?	After you’ve heard they had plans	Invites a story
¿Qué tal el feriado?	Public holiday, long weekend	Common in places that use feriado
¿Cómo les fue en las vacaciones?	Couples, families, friend groups	Covers the whole group

Small Grammar Choices That Change The Meaning

You can ask the same thing three ways in Spanish and still be understood. The difference is the hint you give about what you expect back: a short rating, a story, or a detail.

“Qué Tal…” Invites A Rating

¿Qué tal…? often gets a fast reply like “Bien,” “Regular,” or “Genial.” If you want them to talk more, pair it with one more question right after: “¿Qué tal tus vacaciones? ¿Fuiste a algún lado?”

“Cómo Estuvo…” Sounds Like A Wrap-Up

¿Cómo estuvo…? leans toward “So, how did it turn out?” It can sound a touch more reflective, which works nicely when someone is back at work and settling in.

“Cómo Te Fue…” Feels Personal

¿Cómo te fue…? asks about how it went for them, not just what happened. Use it with friends and people you know well. If you’re unsure, stick to ¿Qué tal…? or ¿Cómo estuvo…?.

One Last Nuance: “Holiday” Means Different Things In English

If you’re translating from English, “holiday” can mean a day off, while “vacation” is used more in American English for a longer break. The Cambridge definition of “holiday” shows the “time off” sense that often maps to feriado or día libre, while vacaciones fits the “break from work or school” sense.

When you’re unsure, sidestep the translation and ask about what happened: “¿Qué tal te fue?” It works in almost any setting.

Text Message Versions That Sound Natural

Texting strips away some formality, but Spanish still keeps the opening question mark. You can shorten the rest:

• “¿Qué tal tus vacas?” (Only with close friends; vacas is slang for vacaciones in some circles.)
• “¿Qué tal las vacas?”
• “¿Qué tal el finde largo?” (Long weekend)

Slang shifts by country and age. If you don’t know the person’s style, use the full word vacaciones. It lands safely across regions.

Replies You Can Give Without Sounding Like A Textbook

Asking is only half the job. Replies are where people often freeze. These lines keep you sounding relaxed, then you can add one detail to keep the chat moving.

Reply Idea	Informal Reply	Formal Reply
It was restful	“Bien, descansé un montón.”	“Muy bien, pude descansar bastante.”
It was busy but fun	“Movidas, pero lo pasé bien.”	“Fueron días con planes, pero los disfruté.”
I stayed home	“Tranquilas, me quedé en casa.”	“Fueron tranquilas; me quedé en casa.”
I traveled	“Genial, fui a [lugar] y comí riquísimo.”	“Muy bien, viajé a [lugar] y conocí varios sitios.”
It was short	“Cortitas, se pasaron volando.”	“Fueron cortas; se pasaron rápido.”
It wasn’t great	“La verdad, no tanto. Necesitaba más descanso.”	“No fueron tan buenas; me faltó descansar.”
Invite their update back	“¿Y las tuyas?”	“¿Y las suyas?”

Common Slip-Ups And Easy Fixes

A few patterns show up again and again for English speakers. Fixing them makes your Spanish sound smoother right away.

Using “Vacación” In Singular

Spanish does have singular vacación, and dictionaries list it, but daily speech leans hard toward plural vacaciones. If you say “¿Cómo fue tu vacación?”, people will understand, yet it can sound unusual. The safe choice is plural when you’re talking about time off.

Forgetting The Subject Change In Formal Speech

When you switch from tú to usted, you often change the possessive too: tus becomes sus. This is one of the fastest tells of the level you mean.

Copying English Punctuation In Emails

In English, you might write “Hi John, How was your holiday?” In Spanish, commas and colons follow different habits. The Cervantes note on letter salutations points out that copying English punctuation into Spanish letters can trip writers up.

Mini Scripts You Can Copy And Send

Pick the script that matches your situation, then swap the bracketed part. Keep it short. One friendly question and one follow-up is enough.

Friend You Haven’t Seen In A While

“¡Hola! ¿Cómo estuvieron tus vacaciones? ¿Hiciste algo divertido?”

Coworker Returning To Work

“Buenos días. ¿Qué tal estuvieron sus vacaciones? ¿Listo para retomar?”

Group Chat After A Long Weekend

“¿Qué tal el feriado? ¿Descansaron o salieron?”

After A Trip You Know About

“¿Cómo estuvo tu viaje a [lugar]? ¿Qué fue lo que más te gustó?”

A Quick Check Before You Hit Send

• Did they take time off? Use vacaciones.
• Was it a public holiday? Use feriado if that word is normal where they live.
• Do you know they traveled? Ask about the viaje.
• Are you keeping it formal? Use sus and keep the verb in third person.
• Want a quick rating? Start with ¿Qué tal…?
• Want a story? Add one follow-up: “¿Qué hiciste?” or “¿A dónde fuiste?”