Meaning
laborer, builder's mate
- an unskilled or semi-skilled manual worker, especially on a building site
In a sentence
Mio zio ha lavorato per trent'anni come manovale nei cantieri edili.
My uncle worked for thirty years as a laborer on construction sites.
L'impresa sta cercando un manovale per aiutare con lo scarico dei materiali.
The company is looking for a laborer to help unload materials.
Quanti manovali servono per completare questa parte della ristrutturazione?
How many laborers are needed to complete this part of the renovation?
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| manovale | masculine · singular |
| manovali | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Predominantly masculine when referring to construction workers ('il manovale').
- Derived from 'mano' (hand); refers specifically to basic physical labor.