Hacer puente

to take a long weekend; **to take a long weekend**; **to make a long weekend**; **to take the day off between a holiday and the weekend**; **to bridge the holiday and the weekend**

Hacer puente means to take an extra day off to create a long weekend, to bridge a public holiday and the weekend, or to extend a holiday by taking leave on the working day in between.

It refers specifically to work or school calendars.

• a public holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday
• someone takes Monday or Friday off to create a long weekend
• schools or businesses close between holidays
• planning short holidays

The metaphor is straightforward.

The extra day off acts as a bridge connecting a public holiday with the weekend.

The expression became increasingly popular during the twentieth century as paid holidays and regular working weeks became standard in Spain.

Today it is firmly established in everyday language.

Spain is particularly associated with the concept of hacer puente, partly because its calendar includes numerous national and regional public holidays.

Long weekends often lead to heavy traffic, crowded tourist destinations and special travel forecasts in the media.

The expression is therefore widely understood by every Spanish speaker.

Spain has several calendar-related expressions:

• Hacer puente → to take a long weekend.
• Acueducto → an exceptionally long holiday created by joining several public holidays with leave days.
• Festivo → a public holiday.
• Día laborable → a working day.

Among them, hacer puente is one of the most characteristic expressions of modern Spanish life, reflecting the widespread custom of extending holidays whenever the calendar allows.

Do not translate the expression literally.

English speakers would never say:

We're making a bridge.

Instead, use expressions such as:

• We're taking a long weekend.
• I'm taking Friday off.
• We're bridging the holiday and the weekend.

Choose the translation according to the context.