Build in Different Languages
Discover 'Build' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'build' holds a significant place in our vocabulary, denoting the creation of something tangible or conceptual. It's a fundamental action that has shaped civilizations, from constructing shelters to forming societies. The term's cultural importance is evident in numerous idioms and phrases, such as 'building bridges' or 'building from the ground up'.
Understanding the translation of 'build' in different languages can provide valuable insights into how various cultures perceive and approach this concept. For instance, the Spanish translation, 'construir', also means 'to edify', reflecting the country's rich architectural history. Meanwhile, in Japanese, 'つくる' (tsukuru) not only means 'to build' but also 'to produce' or 'to make', highlighting the language's emphasis on craftsmanship.
Whether you're a linguist, a cultural enthusiast, or a global citizen, exploring the translations of 'build' can be a fascinating journey. Here are some translations to get you started:
Build
Build in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | bou | ||
| "Bou" in Afrikaans can also mean "to cultivate", "to plant", or "to breed animals". | |||
| Amharic | መገንባት | ||
| መገንባት (build) is derived from the Proto-Semitic root *g-n-b*, which also means "to form" or "to create." | |||
| Hausa | gina | ||
| Hausa gina also means "to establish, to arrange, to create, to found, to establish, to institute, to invent, to build"} | |||
| Igbo | iru | ||
| "Iru" can also mean "create" | |||
| Malagasy | manaova | ||
| The word 'manaova' in Malagasy can also mean 'to create' or 'to produce'. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | mangani | ||
| The word 'mangani' can also be used to mean 'to construct' or 'to raise' in the context of buildings or structures. | |||
| Shona | kuvaka | ||
| The word "kuvaka" can also mean "to create" or "to establish". | |||
| Somali | dhisid | ||
| The Somali word "dhisid" also means "to establish" or "to create". | |||
| Sesotho | haha | ||
| The word “haha” can also refer to the act or habit of making buildings, like a contractor or mason. | |||
| Swahili | kujenga | ||
| In Taita, the word "kujenga" means "to mold" as opposed to "to build" in Swahili. | |||
| Xhosa | yakha | ||
| The verb 'Yakha' is also used in the context of assembling or putting things together, such as a bicycle or a shelf. | |||
| Yoruba | kọ | ||
| Yoruba word 'kọ' can also mean 'create' and in a metaphysical sense, 'compose' or 'generate'. | |||
| Zulu | yakha | ||
| The word 'Yakha' is also used to describe the process of creating or establishing something. | |||
| Bambara | ka jɔ | ||
| Ewe | tu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | kubaka | ||
| Lingala | kotonga | ||
| Luganda | okuzimba | ||
| Sepedi | aga | ||
| Twi (Akan) | si | ||
Build in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | بناء | ||
| Originally meant creation and construction as opposed to demolition and destruction in Arabic. | |||
| Hebrew | לִבנוֹת | ||
| The word 'לִבנוֹת' in Hebrew can also mean to 'make bricks' or 'to establish'. | |||
| Pashto | جوړول | ||
| The word "جوړول" in Pashto, meaning "to build", also has connotations of "to create" or "to make" in a broader sense. | |||
| Arabic | بناء | ||
| Originally meant creation and construction as opposed to demolition and destruction in Arabic. | |||
Build in Western European Languages
| Albanian | ndërtoj | ||
| "Ndërtoj" also means: to construct (a theory), to compose (music) | |||
| Basque | eraiki | ||
| The Basque word 'eraiki' (build) is derived from the Proto-Basque verb '*eraiki', meaning 'to put together, to construct'. | |||
| Catalan | construir | ||
| Construir derives from the Latin term "construere," which means "to put together" or "to put in order." | |||
| Croatian | izgraditi | ||
| The verb 'izgraditi' is derived from the Proto-Slavic root *grad-, meaning 'enclosure' or 'fortification', and is cognate with the English word 'город'. | |||
| Danish | bygge | ||
| Bygge can also mean 'to create, construct, produce, or put together' in Danish. | |||
| Dutch | bouwen | ||
| The Dutch word "bouwen" originates from the Proto-Indo-European root "bheuh-" meaning "to grow" or "to become". | |||
| English | build | ||
| "Build" shares roots with words for "to establish" and "to occupy" in Old Norse, Dutch, German, and Gothic. | |||
| French | construire | ||
| The etymology of the word “construire” (“build”) in French originates from the Latin word “struere”, which originally meant “arrange”, giving the word “construire” the alternate meaning of “compose”. | |||
| Frisian | bouwe | ||
| The Frisian word "bouwe" also means "to live" or "to exist". | |||
| Galician | construír | ||
| "Construir" can also mean "to create" or "to make" in Galician. | |||
| German | bauen | ||
| The word 'bauen' is derived from the Middle High German term 'būwen' meaning 'to cultivate', 'to till'. It can also mean 'to inhabit', 'to live in'. | |||
| Icelandic | byggja | ||
| While "byggja" derives from Old Norse "byggva" meaning "to settle down," its other uses, like "to compose (poetry, a speech)" or "to cultivate (land)" show semantic drift over time. | |||
| Irish | thógáil | ||
| The Irish word "thógáil" can also mean "uplift" or "elevation", highlighting the idea of a structure as a physical and metaphorical representation of progress. | |||
| Italian | costruire | ||
| The term 'costruire' derives from the Latin 'construere', meaning 'to put together' or 'to join'. | |||
| Luxembourgish | bauen | ||
| "Baue" can also mean "to tend to an animal" or "to cultivate something". | |||
| Maltese | tibni | ||
| The Maltese word 'tibni' is derived from the Arabic word 'tabanni', meaning 'to build or construct' and is related to the Semitic root 'b-n-y', meaning 'to build'. The word 'tibni' can also refer to the construction of a house or other structure or the repair of a building. | |||
| Norwegian | bygge | ||
| "Bygge" (Norwegian for "build") derives from the Old Norse word "byggja," which also means "to settle"} | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | construir | ||
| Construir derives from the Latin word "construere", which means "to put together". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | togail | ||
| In Gaelic, 'togail' refers to both 'building' and 'destroying'. | |||
| Spanish | construir | ||
| The Spanish word "construir" not only means "to build" but it can also mean "to create", "to form", "to compose", or "to write." | |||
| Swedish | bygga | ||
| The word 'bygga' also means to live, dwell, or inhabit in Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | adeiladu | ||
| The Welsh word "adeiladu" has an alternate meaning of "to erect" or "to construct". | |||
Build in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | будаваць | ||
| "Будаваць" also means "make" in the sense of "creating something." | |||
| Bosnian | graditi | ||
| In Bosnian, the word "graditi" not only means "to build" but also "to construct" or "to create". | |||
| Bulgarian | изграждане | ||
| "Изграждане" can also mean "to create" or "to establish". | |||
| Czech | stavět | ||
| The Czech verb "stavět" (to build) also has the alternate meaning of "to erect", such as in the context of erecting a monument. | |||
| Estonian | ehitama | ||
| {"text": "In the ancient Estonian language "ehitama" meant "to fix, mend, prepare" which is similar to its Finnic counterparts."} | |||
| Finnish | rakentaa | ||
| In addition to "building", "rakentaa" can also refer to composing, writing, or structuring something. | |||
| Hungarian | épít | ||
| The word "épít" is a verb that can also mean "to construct" or "to create". | |||
| Latvian | būvēt | ||
| The word "būvēt" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *bhew-, meaning "to grow" or "to become." | |||
| Lithuanian | statyti | ||
| The word "statyti" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *stā-, meaning "to stand". | |||
| Macedonian | изгради | ||
| The word "изгради" can also be used in a metaphorical sense to describe the creation of something abstract. | |||
| Polish | budować | ||
| The word 'budować' in Polish also means to 'construct' or 'create', and originates from the Proto-Slavic word 'budovati'. | |||
| Romanian | construi | ||
| The verb "construi" in Romanian finds its origins in Latin, descending from the past participle of the verb "construere" meaning "to build, to put together, to create". | |||
| Russian | строить | ||
| *Строжить* (*stroyit*) was historically used in the meaning of building, but the most common meaning today is of guarding something | |||
| Serbian | градити | ||
| The verb "градити" in Serbian also carries the alternate meaning of "to establish" or "to create", especially in the context of founding a city or institution. | |||
| Slovak | stavať | ||
| In Slovak, "stavať" also means "to stand" or "to rise". | |||
| Slovenian | graditi | ||
| The Slovenian word "graditi" is related to the Slavic root *grad-, meaning "fenced enclosure or fortified settlement", and the verb "to build". | |||
| Ukrainian | побудувати | ||
| The word побудувати (pobuduvaty) is derived from the Slavic verb *budovati*, meaning "to be awake." | |||
Build in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বিল্ড | ||
| "বিল্ড" (build) can also mean "to create, compose, or form". | |||
| Gujarati | બિલ્ડ | ||
| "બિલ્ડ" also refers to the shape or structure created through the act of building, or, in carpentry, a ridge of a sloping roof. | |||
| Hindi | निर्माण | ||
| The word "निर्माण" also means "creation" and "composition" in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಲು | ||
| The word "ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಲು" can also mean "to compose" or "to create". | |||
| Malayalam | നിർമ്മിക്കുക | ||
| The verb 'నిర్మ్మించുക' in Malayalam is derived from the Sanskrit root 'निर्म', which also means 'to establish', 'to construct' and 'to create'. | |||
| Marathi | तयार करा | ||
| The Hindi term 'तयार करा' literally translates to 'prepare' or 'make ready' in English. | |||
| Nepali | निर्माण | ||
| The Sanskrit word 'निर्माण' ('creation', 'formation', 'construction') from which it comes is often used as a term denoting 'form' and 'matter.' | |||
| Punjabi | ਬਣਾਉਣ | ||
| The root of 'ਬਣਾਉਣ' is the word 'बन', which in Sanskrit means 'to become' or 'to form'. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ගොඩනඟන්න | ||
| "ගොඩනඟන්න" can also mean "compose", like in the phrase "a well-composed piece of music." | |||
| Tamil | கட்ட | ||
| The word "கட்ட" in Tamil relates to "compressing" and "binding together" and can also mean "to construct" or "to tie up". | |||
| Telugu | నిర్మించు | ||
| The Telugu word "నిర్మించు" is derived from the Sanskrit word "निर्म" (nir) meaning "without" and "म" (ma) meaning "create". | |||
| Urdu | تعمیر | ||
| The verb تعمیر also means 'to make up,' such as an excuse or a story. | |||
Build in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 建立 | ||
| The original meaning of 建立 was 'to create' or 'establish' (建立), from which came its extended meaning of 'to build a house or structure' (建立). | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 建立 | ||
| It can also mean 'establish' or 'construct', and is used in a variety of contexts. | |||
| Japanese | ビルド | ||
| ビルド (birudo) is derived from the English word "build" and has the additional meaning of a "construction" or "complex". | |||
| Korean | 짓다 | ||
| The word "짓다" in Korean originally meant "to carve" or "to cut," but over time it has come to mean "to build" or "to make." | |||
| Mongolian | барих | ||
| The word "барих" can also mean "to establish" or "to found" in Mongolian. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | တည်ဆောက် | ||
Build in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | membangun | ||
| The word "membangun" can also mean "to develop" or "to establish". | |||
| Javanese | mbangun | ||
| "Mbangun" can also mean to establish or to develop something. | |||
| Khmer | កសាង | ||
| The word "សាង": to build, create, construct, form, establish, or found. "ក": prefix indicating the causative form of a verb | |||
| Lao | ກໍ່ສ້າງ | ||
| Malay | membina | ||
| In Malay, "membina" can also refer to the process of establishing or constructing something abstract, such as a relationship, organization or system. | |||
| Thai | สร้าง | ||
| "สร้าง" can also mean "make" or "forge". | |||
| Vietnamese | xây dựng | ||
| The Vietnamese word "xây dựng" can also be translated to "construction" or "to create". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | magtayo | ||
Build in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | qurmaq | ||
| In Azerbaijani, 'qurmaq' can mean 'to set up a tent' or 'to organize and convene a meeting or gathering'. | |||
| Kazakh | салу | ||
| The word "салу" in Kazakh also means "to grow" or "to rise". | |||
| Kyrgyz | куруу | ||
| In Kyrgyz, 'куруу' also means 'to erect,' 'to construct,' and 'to raise.' | |||
| Tajik | сохтан | ||
| Tajik сохтан and Persian ساختن, both meaning "to build," come from the Proto-Indo-European root *keh₂- meaning "to enclose, to surround." | |||
| Turkmen | gurmak | ||
| Uzbek | qurmoq | ||
| The Uzbek word "qurmoq" can have a broader meaning than "construct", as it can be interpreted as forming a family, cultivating a society or building up a state. | |||
| Uyghur | قۇرۇش | ||
Build in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kūkulu | ||
| The word «kūkulu» also means "to heap up". | |||
| Maori | hanga | ||
| 'Hanga' can also refer to the creation of something new and unique, not just physical structures. | |||
| Samoan | fausia | ||
| Fausia also means "to cause to grow" or "to develop". | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | magtayo | ||
| The word "magtayo" also means "to stand" or "to rise" in Tagalog (Filipino). | |||
Build in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | luraña | ||
| Guarani | mba'e'apo | ||
Build in International Languages
| Esperanto | konstrui | ||
| The root "stru" is found in English in words like structure, construct, destroy, and obstruct. | |||
| Latin | aedificate | ||
| Aedificare or aedifico (from aedes and facere) in Latin means "to construct" as well as "to live", "dwell" or "reside". | |||
Build in Others Languages
| Greek | χτίζω | ||
| The Greek word "χτίζω" originally meant "to establish," but later acquired the meaning of "to build". | |||
| Hmong | txhim tsa | ||
| The word "txhim tsa" can also mean "to cultivate" or "to raise" in Hmong. | |||
| Kurdish | avakirin | ||
| The word 'avakirin' in Kurdish likely comes from the Persian word 'avardan', which also means to build or construct, suggesting a common linguistic root. | |||
| Turkish | inşa etmek | ||
| Though it may not seem so from its current meaning, "inşa etmek" is an Arabic loanword originating from the word "nüsh'a" (نسخ), meaning "copy" or "imitation". | |||
| Xhosa | yakha | ||
| The verb 'Yakha' is also used in the context of assembling or putting things together, such as a bicycle or a shelf. | |||
| Yiddish | בויען | ||
| The Yiddish word "בויען" (build) is derived from the German word "bauen" (to build), and also means "to create" or "to form". | |||
| Zulu | yakha | ||
| The word 'Yakha' is also used to describe the process of creating or establishing something. | |||
| Assamese | নিৰ্মাণ | ||
| Aymara | luraña | ||
| Bhojpuri | निर्माण | ||
| Dhivehi | ބިނާކުރުން | ||
| Dogri | बनाना | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | magtayo | ||
| Guarani | mba'e'apo | ||
| Ilocano | ipatakder | ||
| Krio | bil | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | بنیاتنان | ||
| Maithili | बनानाए | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯁꯥꯕ | ||
| Mizo | sa | ||
| Oromo | ijaaruu | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ନିର୍ମାଣ | ||
| Quechua | ruway | ||
| Sanskrit | निर्मिमीते | ||
| Tatar | төзү | ||
| Tigrinya | ህነፅ | ||
| Tsonga | aka | ||