Spanish word of the day: Puente

What does puente mean?

Puente (noun) — Literally, a bridge. But It can also be used for a long weekend.

Puente refers to the practice of taking an extra day off to connect (or "bridge"!) a holiday that falls on a Tuesday or Thursday with the weekend, creating a four-day weekend.

Example sentences with puente

This word is commonly used with the verb “ir” (to go), to indicate that you are going on a short holiday for the long weekend!

• La próxima semana me voy de puente a las montañas del norte.

  🏔️ Next weekend’s long weekend I’m going to the northern mountains.

• Este fin de semana es puente. ¿Tienes algún plan pensado?

  🚲️ This weekend is a long weekend. Do you have any plans?

• Este año estamos de suerte y en octubre ¡hay puente!

  🍁 This year we are lucky and in October there is a long weekend!

If you need a little reminder on how to conjugate the verb “ir”, our conjugation tables can help!

Puente in context

The concept of a puente is particularly common in Spain and Latin American countries, where it's a popular way to extend time off from work or school. For example, if a national holiday falls on a Thursday, many people will take Friday off as well to create a puente that connects the holiday to the weekend.

This practice is so ingrained in Spanish culture that the term has become a standard part of the vocabulary when discussing time off and holiday planning. Similar concepts exist in other countries, such as "faire le pont" in French or "bridging" in English, but the Spanish term "puente" is particularly widespread and recognized.