بَنَّاء
bannāʔmasculine
The English word builder is translated into Arabic as بَنَّاء (bannāʔ). Wiktionary also lists بَنَّاءَة (bannāʔa) and مِعْمَار (miʕmār).
Meaning: a person who builds or constructs things (noun)
Ways to say it
| Arabic | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| بَنَّاء | bannāʔ | masculine |
| بَنَّاءَة | bannāʔa | feminine |
| مِعْمَار | miʕmār | masculine |
| مِعْمَارَة | miʕmāra | feminine |
The term is used to describe a person who builds or constructs things. The term بَنَّاء refers specifically to a person who performs physical construction work, such as a mason or bricklayer.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Arabian Gulf countries, the term مقاول (muqāwil) is used to refer to the role of a builder.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine plural form of بَنَّاء in an accusative or genitive context is بَنَّائِينَ.
How do you pronounce it?
bannāʔ
Did you know?
- The root word for بَنَّاء is used metaphorically to describe the process of 'building' a child's character or the foundation of a family.
- The term مِعْمَار historically described master builders who both designed and executed plans, before the modern separation of architects and builders.
- Although the feminine form بَنَّاءَة exists in the dictionary, it is rarely used in actual construction environments due to the industry being heavily male-dominated in the Arab world.
Examples in context
- الصَّانِع بنى هذا المنزل العجيب بمفرده.The builder constructed this amazing house by himself.
- هو بَنَّاء ماهر جداً.huwa bannā' māhir jiddan.He is a very skilled builder.
Example conversation
Yousef and Maryam are discussing the construction of their new house.
- يوسف Youssefهل وصل البَنَّاء اليوم؟hal wasala al-bannā' al-yawm?Did the builder arrive today?
- مريم Maryamنعم، يوسف، هو هنا بالفعل.na'am, Yousef, huwa hunā bil-fi'l.Yes, Yousef, he is already here.
- يوسف Youssefهل هو بَنَّاء جيد؟hal huwa bannā' jayyid?Is he a good builder?
- مريم Maryamنعم، يبدو محترفاً للغاية.na'am, yabdu muhtarifan lil-ghāya.Yes, he seems very professional.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “builder” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
