Portuguese Phrase
Quero tirar férias.
Meaning
Literally, ‘I want to take holidays.’ In everyday speech it means ‘I want to take a vacation.’ The phrase expresses a personal desire to step away from work or study for a period of rest.
When to use
Use this sentence when you’re telling a friend, a colleague, or a boss that you’d like to schedule time off. It works both in casual conversation and in more formal contexts such as a request to HR.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Querotirarférias
Quero (querer)
The verb *querer* means ‘to want’. In the present indicative, the 1st‑person singular form is *quero*.
tirar (infinitive)
After *querer* the following verb stays in the infinitive. *tirar* means ‘to take, to remove’ and is the standard verb used with *férias*.
férias (plural noun)
The word *férias* is always plural in Portuguese, even when you refer to a single holiday period.
🗨In Conversation
Quero tirar férias.
I want to take a vacation.
Quando você pretende viajar?
When do you plan to travel?
✕Common Mistakes
Quero tirar ferias.
Missing the acute accent on the first *i*; the correct spelling is *férias*.
Quero fazer férias.
Learners sometimes use *fazer* (to do) instead of *tirar*; *fazer férias* is not idiomatic.
Quero tirar férias, pode aprovar?
In very formal requests you should use *solicitar* or *pedir*; *Quero* can sound too casual for a boss.
↔Alternatives
Gostaria de tirar férias.
I would like to take a vacation.
Preciso de férias.
I need a vacation.
Vou tirar férias.
I’m going to take a vacation.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, *férias* refers to the official break from work or school, not just a short weekend getaway. The expression *tirar férias* is the most common way to talk about a longer, planned holiday. In formal emails you might add a polite preface, e.g., *Gostaria de solicitar minhas férias* (I would like to request my vacation). Remember that *férias* never takes a singular form – you’ll never say *feria*.