Inklingo

How to Say "construction" in Spanish

English → Spanish

construcción

nounA2general
Use 'construcción' when referring to the general process or the resulting structure of building something, like a house or a bridge.

Examples

La construcción de este rascacielos duró tres años.

The construction of this skyscraper lasted three years.

obra

OH-brah/ˈoβɾa/

nounA1general
Use 'obra' when referring to active building work happening in a specific area, like road work or a construction site.
A simplified construction scene showing a brick wall being built by a single worker wearing a yellow hard hat.

Examples

Hay mucha obra en la calle principal; el tráfico es lento.

There is a lot of construction on the main street; the traffic is slow.

La obra del nuevo hospital estará terminada el próximo año.

The construction of the new hospital will be finished next year.

Los obreros están trabajando en la obra.

The workers are working on the site.

Related Roles

The person who works on a construction site is an 'obrero' (worker/laborer), a masculine noun closely related to 'obra'.

Work vs. Project

Mistake:Using 'trabajo' when referring to a construction site (e.g., 'el trabajo').

Correction: Use 'la obra' when referring to the physical building project or site.

fábrica

nounB2general
Use 'fábrica' specifically when talking about the extended process or the act of building something that takes a very long time, like historical buildings.

Examples

La fábrica de la catedral duró más de dos siglos.

The construction of the cathedral lasted more than two centuries.

Construcción vs. Obra

Learners often use 'construcción' when they should use 'obra'. Remember that 'obra' refers to active, visible building activity in a place, like a street or site, while 'construcción' is more about the general concept or the completed project.

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