construction work
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construction work
The activity of building or repairing buildings, roads, or other structures. It is very often used in the plural in German.
Wegen Bauarbeiten ist die Autobahn teilweise gesperrt.
Because of construction work, the highway is partially closed.
The word is made up of 'Bau' (construction) and 'Arbeit' (work). 'Der Bau' is the noun related to the verb 'bauen' (to build). So it literally means 'work that has to do with building.'
Die Bauarbeiten am neuen Bahnhof dauern länger als geplant.
The construction work on the new train station is taking longer than planned.
Although the singular form 'die Bauarbeit' exists, the word is almost always used in the plural, 'die Bauarbeiten' (construction works/construction work). This is because it usually refers to a variety of activities on a construction site.
Die Bauarbeiten sollen nächsten Monat abgeschlossen sein.
The construction work is supposed to be completed next month.
A very common combination is the preposition 'wegen' (because of) + 'Bauarbeiten' (construction work), to give the cause of a disruption, for example in traffic. Other typical verbs are 'durchführen' (to carry out) or 'beginnen' (to begin).
Wegen Bauarbeiten kommt es zu Verspätungen im Zugverkehr.
Because of construction work, there are delays in train traffic.
construction / building
Bau and Bauarbeit can both refer to the process of building. Bau tends to mean the construction project as a whole or the process itself, whereas Bauarbeit emphasizes the specific activities carried out by people. Use Bau for the construction of a house, but Bauarbeit, for example, when referring to carrying, laying bricks, or repairing.
Die Bauarbeiter machen heute schwere Bauarbeit auf dem Grundstück.
The construction workers are doing heavy construction work on the property today.
Der Bau des neuen Hauses soll im Frühjahr beginnen.
Construction on the new house is scheduled to begin in the spring.
