How to Say "to erect" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to erect” is “alzar” — use 'alzar' when referring to the general act of setting up or building something, like a wall, a basic structure, or even a building..
alzar
/ahl-ZAHR//alˈθaɾ/
Examples
El equipo decidió alzar una carpa grande para el festival.
The team decided to erect a large tent for the festival.
El rey decidió alzar un muro alrededor de la ciudad.
The king decided to build a wall around the city.
Alzaron una estatua en honor al héroe local.
They erected a statue in honor of the local hero.
Es difícil alzar un edificio en este terreno tan blando.
It is difficult to erect a building on such soft ground.
Use with monuments
This word is the standard choice when talking about putting up something tall and significant, like a skyscraper or a statue.
erigir
/eh-ree-HEER//eɾiˈxiɾ/
Examples
Se va a erigir una estatua en honor al héroe local.
A statue will be erected in honor of the local hero.
Decidieron erigir un monumento en la plaza central.
They decided to erect a monument in the central square.
El arquitecto erigió una torre que domina el paisaje.
The architect built a tower that dominates the landscape.
Es costoso erigir estatuas de mármol en estos tiempos.
It is expensive to erect marble statues these days.
The G to J spelling swap
In the 'I' form (yo) and all 'wish' forms (subjunctive), the 'g' changes to a 'j' (erijo). This is because in Spanish, a 'g' sounds like an 'h' only before 'e' or 'i'. To keep that 'h' sound before an 'o' or 'a', we must use 'j'.
Formal tone
Don't use 'erigir' for simple things like a doghouse or a fence. It is reserved for grand, noble, or historically significant structures.
Avoid 'erigo'
Mistake: “Yo erigo un altar.”
Correction: Yo erijo un altar. Because 'g' before 'o' sounds like 'go', you must use 'j' to keep the breathy 'h' sound of the original word.
General vs. Monumental Construction
Related Translations
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