Punëtor

Punëtor is a masculine Albanian noun meaning a person who performs work: a worker or employee. It denotes someone engaged in paid or unpaid labor across various sectors, including industry, agriculture, and services. The feminine form is punëtore, and the plural forms are punëtorë (indefinite) and punëtoret (definite). The word is formed from the base noun punë (work) with the agent suffix -tor, a common pattern for occupational terms in Albanian.

Usage and nuance: punëtor is a neutral term used in everyday language as well as in formal, legal, or institutional contexts to refer to a worker or employee. It can describe people in manual or skilled labor, as well as workers in public and private sectors. Related terms include punonjës (employee) and punëdhënës (employer), which appear in labor, administrative, and economic discourse.

Grammar and variants: As a masculine noun, punëtor aligns with masculine adjectives and determiners (e.g., një punëtor, punëtori, punëtorët). The feminine form punëtore is used for female workers, with corresponding definite forms such as punëtore and punëtoret in context.

Historical and contemporary context: In the 20th century, punëtor commonly appeared in socialist and labor-oriented discourse, emphasizing the role of workers. In contemporary Albanian, it remains a standard, neutral label for individuals who perform work, without inherent political connotation, though context can influence nuance.

See also: punonjës, punëdhënës, punëtore.