Building in Different Languages
Discover 'Building' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'building' holds immense significance as it represents the tangible manifestation of human creativity, innovation, and progress. Since the dawn of civilization, humans have been building structures for shelter, worship, and expression of their cultural and societal values. From the Pyramids of Egypt to the Great Wall of China, these structures have stood the test of time, serving as enduring symbols of our shared human experience.
Understanding the translation of 'building' in different languages can provide valuable insights into the cultural nuances and historical contexts of various societies. For instance, in German, 'building' translates to 'Gebäude,' which also connotes a sense of stability and permanence. Meanwhile, in Japanese, 'building' is '建物 (tatemono),' reflecting the country's rich architectural heritage and minimalist aesthetic.
Whether you're an architect, a linguist, or simply a curious mind, exploring the translations of 'building' in different languages can be a fascinating journey into the world of language and culture. Here are some translations to get you started:
Building
Building in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | gebou | ||
| "Gebou" derives from Middle Dutch "gebou" meaning "what has been built"} | |||
| Amharic | ህንፃ | ||
| ህንፃ shares roots with ሕንፃ, which refers to the body. | |||
| Hausa | gini | ||
| The word 'gini' can also refer to a room, a house, or a shelter. | |||
| Igbo | ụlọ | ||
| The word "ụlọ" in Igbo also means "home" or "shelter", reflecting the cultural significance of buildings as a place of refuge and belonging. | |||
| Malagasy | trano | ||
| "Trano" can mean building or house, and is derived from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian word "tRuq". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | nyumba | ||
| The word "nyumba" is derived from the Proto-Bantu word "*nyumba", meaning "place to stay." | |||
| Shona | chivakwa | ||
| The word "chivakwa" in Shona primarily refers to a building, but it can also mean a house, a room, or a shelter. | |||
| Somali | dhismaha | ||
| Dhismaha is derived from the root word 'dhis', meaning 'to build' or 'to construct'. | |||
| Sesotho | moaho | ||
| In Sesotho, the word "moaho" can also refer to a structure or a framework. | |||
| Swahili | jengo | ||
| The Swahili word "jengo" also means "construction" or "project", and is derived from the Arabic word "binyan" meaning "building". | |||
| Xhosa | isakhiwo | ||
| The word 'isakhiwo' is also used to refer to the act of building or construction. | |||
| Yoruba | ile | ||
| The word 'ile' can also mean 'home' in Yoruba. | |||
| Zulu | isakhiwo | ||
| The word 'isakhiwo' may also be used to refer to the space within a building, such as a room or hall. | |||
| Bambara | so | ||
| Ewe | xɔ | ||
| Kinyarwanda | inyubako | ||
| Lingala | ndako | ||
| Luganda | ekizimbe | ||
| Sepedi | moago | ||
| Twi (Akan) | dan | ||
Building in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | بناء | ||
| The verb ب-ن-ى means both "to build" and "to make"; the noun can be used to refer to the building itself or the act of building. | |||
| Hebrew | בִּניָן | ||
| The Hebrew word בנין, which means "building", is also a root in Biblical Hebrew that means "to establish". | |||
| Pashto | ودانۍ | ||
| It can also mean 'body' or 'dwelling'. | |||
| Arabic | بناء | ||
| The verb ب-ن-ى means both "to build" and "to make"; the noun can be used to refer to the building itself or the act of building. | |||
Building in Western European Languages
| Albanian | ndërtesa | ||
| "Ndërtesa" has a historical meaning of "structure to be built" due to its etymology via Latin "industrial" and ultimately Latin "struere". | |||
| Basque | eraikin | ||
| Eraikin derives from Basque "era" (shape) + "ki" (place) + "-(a)in" (suffix); originally meant "form, appearance". | |||
| Catalan | edifici | ||
| In Latin, "edifici" also means "to build". | |||
| Croatian | zgrada | ||
| The word 'zgrada' can also refer to the municipal assembly in the context of the Croatian government. | |||
| Danish | bygning | ||
| The Danish word "bygning" is derived from the Old Norse word "bygging", which originally meant "dwelling" or "place of residence." | |||
| Dutch | gebouw | ||
| The Dutch word "gebouw" can also refer to a religious or public institution. | |||
| English | building | ||
| The word "building" has multiple meanings, including "the act of constructing or the process of being constructed" and "the result of building." | |||
| French | bâtiment | ||
| The word "bâtiment" comes from the Latin word "bastimentum," meaning "ship". | |||
| Frisian | gebou | ||
| The word 'gebou' is derived from the Old Frisian word 'gebō', meaning 'dwelling' or 'house' | |||
| Galician | edificio | ||
| **Edificio** derives from the Latin "aedificium", with the same meaning, while in Galician it also denominates the set of all the properties of a person. | |||
| German | gebäude | ||
| In German, the word "Gebäude" not only refers to a man-made structure with a roof and walls, but also figuratively to an organized entity or system, such as a political or social institution. | |||
| Icelandic | bygging | ||
| Bygging can also refer to a dwelling, a farm, or a settlement, and is related to the word 'byggja', which means 'to inhabit or cultivate'. | |||
| Irish | foirgneamh | ||
| The Irish word 'foirgneamh' is derived from the Latin word 'forum', meaning 'marketplace' or 'public square'. | |||
| Italian | edificio | ||
| "Edificio" can also refer to a complex or group of buildings or structures, as in the case of a university or a hospital. | |||
| Luxembourgish | gebai | ||
| In Luxembourgish, the word "Gebai" can also refer to a room or a place, depending on the context. | |||
| Maltese | bini | ||
| The word 'bini' is of Semitic origin, and is related to the Arabic word 'bina', which also means 'building'. | |||
| Norwegian | bygning | ||
| The word "bygning" also means "structure" in Norwegian. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | construção | ||
| The Portuguese word "construção" comes from the Latin word "constructio" meaning "a putting together". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | togalach | ||
| The Scots word 'togalach' is derived from the Old Norse 'tak' meaning roof, and a 'loch' or 'lacha' indicating the enclosure within a roof | |||
| Spanish | edificio | ||
| "Edificio" derives from the Latin "aedificium" meaning "house" and "temple" and shares the same root as "aedes" meaning "sacred place" or "temple". | |||
| Swedish | byggnad | ||
| "Byggnad" is distantly related to the English "big" and German "bauen" (to build), with all ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European "*bʰew(ə)-", meaning "to grow". | |||
| Welsh | adeilad | ||
| The word "adeilad" derives from the Proto-Celtic word "*adelo-," meaning "house" or "temple." | |||
Building in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | будынак | ||
| The Belarusian word for building, "будынак," is not to be confused with a "буда" (wooden booth or cabin) or a "будан" (shack or outhouse). | |||
| Bosnian | zgrada | ||
| Zgrada originally meant 'city wall' in Serbian and Croatian, but also came to be used for any kind of urban construction, and then 'building'. | |||
| Bulgarian | сграда | ||
| The Bulgarian word "сграда" (building) derives from the Slavic root "grad" meaning "town" or "fortress". | |||
| Czech | budova | ||
| The word "budova" is derived from the verb "budovat" meaning "to build". | |||
| Estonian | hoone | ||
| The word "hoone" may derive from the Proto-Uralic *koŋa, meaning "pit" or "excavation". | |||
| Finnish | rakennus | ||
| It is a derivative of the verb 'rakentaa' ('to build'), ultimately from Proto-Uralic *raken- ('to build'). | |||
| Hungarian | épület | ||
| In architecture, an épület is a large building with a distinct and often elaborate design. | |||
| Latvian | ēka | ||
| "Ēka" derives from the Germanic word "*huka"," meaning "den, hiding place". | |||
| Lithuanian | pastatas | ||
| "Pastatas" derives from the word "pastoti", meaning "to stand, to endure, to remain". | |||
| Macedonian | зграда | ||
| The word "зграда" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *gordъ, meaning "city" or "town". | |||
| Polish | budynek | ||
| In Polish, the word "budynek" can also refer to other structures such as boats or even human bodies. | |||
| Romanian | clădire | ||
| The Romanian word "clădire" derives from the Latin "claudere" meaning "to close" or "to enclose". | |||
| Russian | здание | ||
| "Здание" can also mean "structure" or, metaphorically, "institution". | |||
| Serbian | зграда | ||
| The Serbian word "zgrada" also means "structure" and "construction". | |||
| Slovak | budova | ||
| The word "budova" comes from the Proto-Slavic word *bъdъ, meaning "to be, to exist". | |||
| Slovenian | stavbe | ||
| The word "stavbe" in Slovenian comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "stebh-," meaning "to stand upright."} | |||
| Ukrainian | будівлі | ||
| The word "будівлі" derives from the Proto-Slavic word "bydovati", meaning "to build". | |||
Building in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | বিল্ডিং | ||
| In the 14th century, it also referred to the act of constructing houses, towns or forts | |||
| Gujarati | મકાન | ||
| The Gujarati word "મકાન" is derived from the Persian word "makan", meaning "house" or "place". | |||
| Hindi | इमारत | ||
| The word "इमारत" can also refer to a fort, palace, or a large and impressive structure. | |||
| Kannada | ಕಟ್ಟಡ | ||
| The word 'ಕಟ್ಟಡ' (kattada) in Kannada also means 'construction', 'structure', 'edifice', or 'fabrication'. | |||
| Malayalam | കെട്ടിടം | ||
| The word 'കെട്ടിടം' (building) in Malayalam is derived from the root verb 'കെട്ടുക' (to bind) and means something that is constructed or assembled. | |||
| Marathi | इमारत | ||
| "इमारत" (building) originates from the Persian word "عمارت" (imarat), meaning "edifice, structure, or house." | |||
| Nepali | भवन | ||
| The Nepali word भवन "भवन" is cognate with the Hindi and Sanskrit word "भवन", meaning "dwelling place" or "house". | |||
| Punjabi | ਇਮਾਰਤ | ||
| "ਇਮਾਰਤ" is also the Punjabi word for the human body, emphasizing the idea of a complex structure with many parts and functions. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | ගොඩනැගිල්ල | ||
| The word "ගොඩනැගිල්ල" also means "the act of building," "the state of being built," and "a group of buildings." | |||
| Tamil | கட்டிடம் | ||
| கட்டிடம் (kaṭṭiṭam) also means 'composition' or 'construction' in Sanskrit, relating to the way it is structured. | |||
| Telugu | కట్టడం | ||
| The Telugu word for 'building' or 'edifice' (కట్టడం) is derived from the verb 'to construct' (కట్టు), which suggests that the concept of 'building' in Telugu emphasizes the process of construction and creation. | |||
| Urdu | عمارت | ||
| The Urdu word 'عمارت' ultimately derives from the Arabic word 'عمارة' meaning 'prosperity' or 'abundance', and can also refer to a populated area or a settlement in addition to a building. | |||
Building in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 建造 | ||
| In some contexts, 建造 can refer to the process of cultivation or creation, such as a career or a habit. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 建造 | ||
| 建造 refers to construction or engineering with a focus on the creation of structures or facilities, it can sometimes also refer to creating or establishing something in a more general sense. | |||
| Japanese | 建物 | ||
| The word also has archaic meanings 'thing' and 'weapon' and is thus written with the kanji kanji for 'weapon'/'tool'(武) and 'object' (具). | |||
| Korean | 건물 | ||
| The term '건물' in Korean derives from the Chinese characters '建物', meaning 'built structure', and also refers to a temporary or improvised shelter. | |||
| Mongolian | барилга | ||
| The word "барилга" comes from the verb "барих" ("to build") and can also refer to a place of employment or institution | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | အဆောက်အ ဦး | ||
Building in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | bangunan | ||
| The Indonesian word "bangunan" also means a "construction". | |||
| Javanese | bangunan | ||
| The word "bangunan" can also refer to a musical instrument, a type of gong used in traditional Javanese music. | |||
| Khmer | អគារ | ||
| The word អគារ derives from Sanskrit 'āgāra', meaning 'dwelling' or 'house', and can refer to any type of structure. | |||
| Lao | ອາຄານ | ||
| อาคาร shares a root with Sanskrit 'āgāra' meaning 'house' through Proto-Tai *-kâa. | |||
| Malay | bangunan | ||
| The Malay word 'bangunan' can also refer to structures like towers or castles, or figuratively to the structure or organization of something intangible like a society. | |||
| Thai | อาคาร | ||
| The word "อาคาร" comes from the Sanskrit word "āgāra", which means "house" or "dwelling place." | |||
| Vietnamese | xây dựng | ||
| The Vietnamese word "xây dựng" can also refer to the act of constructing or erecting something. | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gusali | ||
Building in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | bina | ||
| The word "bina" also means "structure, organization, constitution" in Azerbaijani. | |||
| Kazakh | ғимарат | ||
| The word ғимарат (building) is derived from the Persian wordعمارة (ʿimārat), which means "construction, building, or edifice." | |||
| Kyrgyz | имарат | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "имарат" can also refer to a sacred shrine or a religious building. | |||
| Tajik | бино | ||
| The word "бино" ("building") in Tajik is derived from the Persian word "بنا" ("construction"). | |||
| Turkmen | bina | ||
| Uzbek | bino | ||
| In Uzbek, "bino" is related to Persian "bina" and Pashto "bendaw", meaning "structure" or "dwelling." | |||
| Uyghur | بىنا | ||
Building in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | hale | ||
| In the Hawaiian language, hale means both "building" and "house". | |||
| Maori | whare | ||
| The Māori word 'whare' also refers to the placenta and the uterus. | |||
| Samoan | fale | ||
| In Samoan, "fale" also refers to a traditional Samoan meeting house or community center. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | gusali | ||
| The word "gusali" in Tagalog, meaning "building," is derived from the Spanish word "gusal" which also means "building" | |||
Building in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | jach'a uta | ||
| Guarani | óga yvate | ||
Building in International Languages
| Esperanto | konstruaĵo | ||
| The word “konstruaĵo” in Esperanto comes from the German word “Konstruktion” (“construction”), and is also used to mean “construction”. | |||
| Latin | aedificium | ||
| The word "aedificium" derives from the Latin words "aedes" (temple) and "facere" (to make), and can also mean "house" or "dwelling." | |||
Building in Others Languages
| Greek | κτίριο | ||
| The word "Κτίριο" (building) comes from the same root as the word "κτίζω" (to build), which in turn comes from the Proto-Indo-European root "*kwei-," meaning "to weave". | |||
| Hmong | tsev | ||
| The word "tsev" in Hmong also means "house" and "home", and is derived from the Proto-Hmong-Mien word "*tsəŋ". | |||
| Kurdish | avahî | ||
| The word “avahî” also means “shelter” or “refuge” in Kurdish. | |||
| Turkish | bina | ||
| "Bina" is originally Persian for "base" or "root". | |||
| Xhosa | isakhiwo | ||
| The word 'isakhiwo' is also used to refer to the act of building or construction. | |||
| Yiddish | בנין | ||
| The Yiddish word "בנין" also means "construction" and "structure". | |||
| Zulu | isakhiwo | ||
| The word 'isakhiwo' may also be used to refer to the space within a building, such as a room or hall. | |||
| Assamese | ভৱন | ||
| Aymara | jach'a uta | ||
| Bhojpuri | इमारत | ||
| Dhivehi | ބިނާ | ||
| Dogri | बिल्डिंग | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | gusali | ||
| Guarani | óga yvate | ||
| Ilocano | kamarin | ||
| Krio | de bil | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | باڵەخانە | ||
| Maithili | भवन | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯗꯂꯥꯟ | ||
| Mizo | in | ||
| Oromo | gamoo | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ନିର୍ମାଣ | ||
| Quechua | hatun wasi | ||
| Sanskrit | भवनम् | ||
| Tatar | бина | ||
| Tigrinya | ምህናፅ | ||
| Tsonga | muako | ||