edificio
/ediˈfiθjo/masculine
The English word building is translated into Spanish as edificio. Wiktionary also lists inmueble and edificación.
Meaning: closed structure with walls and a roof (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| edificio | /ediˈfiθjo/ /ediˈfisjo/ |
masculine |
| inmueble | /imˈmweble/ | masculine |
| edificación | /edifikaˈθjon/ /edifikaˈsjon/ |
feminine |
| construcción | /konstɾuɡˈθjon/ /konstɾuɡˈsjon/ |
feminine |
All these terms refer to a closed structure with walls and a roof.
Which one should you use?
Use edificio to refer to a specific, completed physical structure like an apartment block or office tower. Use construcción to refer to the act of building or the process of construction, rather than just the finished object. Use inmueble when referring to a building in a legal, commercial or real estate context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the term bloque is used to refer to residential buildings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form edificación is often used in technical, urban planning or architectural contexts to refer to a building or a group of buildings.
How do you pronounce it?
/ediˈfiθjo/
Did you know?
- The word edificio comes from the Latin 'aedificium', which shares the same ancient root as the English word 'fabric' via the idea of a constructed thing.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the 'ground floor' is called planta baja, and the first floor above that is the primer piso, which can confuse English speakers used to different naming conventions.
- While edificio refers to the structure, the word obra is used to describe a building that is currently under construction, as in 'obra en curso'.
Examples in context
- El edificio es azul.The building is blue.This sentence is useful for describing the color of an edificio.Tatoeba #2442619 by hayastan, translation #2470619 by BoriQa
- El edificio se cayó.The building fell down.This sentence is useful for describing an edificio falling down.Tatoeba #6359679 by joaquin26, translation #6359656 by Hybrid
- Mirá ese edificio rojo.Look at that red building.This sentence is useful for pointing out an edificio.Tatoeba #1008002 by hayastan, translation #68035 by CK
- Hay un edificio muy alto en el centro de la ciudadThere is a very tall building in the city center
- El inmueble tiene varios edificiosThe property has several buildings
- El arquitecto supervisó la construcción del edificioThe architect supervised the construction of the building
- Vamos a reunirnos en el edificio amarilloWe are going to meet in the yellow building
- Vivo en un bloque de pisosI live in an apartment building
- La construcción de ese nuevo edificio comenzará el próximo mes.The construction of that new building will start next month.
- El inmueble tiene un edificio principal y varios anexos.The property has a main building and several annexes.
- Ese edificio antiguo está siendo restaurado para convertirse en un hotel boutique.That old building is being restored to become a boutique hotel.
- 254 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Mateo are standing on a street corner looking for an apartment.
- MaríaEse edificio es muy antiguo.That building is very old.
- MateoSí, pero el edificio es muy grande.Yes, but the building is very large.
- María¿Ves aquel edificio moderno allá?Do you see that modern building over there?
- MateoNo veo ningún edificio nuevo.I don't see any new building.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “building” translations and entries edificio, inmueble, edificación, construcción, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries construcción, edificación, edificio, inmueble, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
