batallón
/ba-ta-YOHN/
battalion
A 'batallón' refers to a specific military unit of soldiers.
📝 In Action
El batallón avanzó hacia la frontera al amanecer.
B1The battalion advanced toward the border at dawn.
Mi abuelo perteneció a un batallón de infantería.
B2My grandfather belonged to an infantry battalion.
💡 Grammar Points
Identifying Gender
Words ending in '-ón' are almost always masculine, so you use 'el' or 'un'.
⭐ Usage Tips
When to use
Use this when talking about a specific, organized group of soldiers rather than just a general 'army'.
The word 'batallón' can also describe any large group of people gathered together.
batallón(noun)
army
?a large group of people
,multitude
?a huge crowd
ton
?informal way to say 'a lot'
📝 In Action
Un batallón de fans esperaba al cantante en el aeropuerto.
B2An army of fans was waiting for the singer at the airport.
Necesitaremos un batallón de limpieza después de esta fiesta.
C1We'll need a whole cleaning crew (army) after this party.
💡 Grammar Points
Using it Figuratively
Just like in English we say 'an army of ants,' Spanish uses 'batallón' to emphasize that a group is very large and perhaps a bit overwhelming.
⭐ Usage Tips
Adding Emphasis
Use this word when you want to sound more descriptive or dramatic than just saying 'muchas personas'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: batallón
Question 1 of 1
If you see 'un batallón de niños' in a park, what does it mean?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'batallón' bigger than an 'ejército'?
No. An 'ejército' (army) is the entire organization, while a 'batallón' is just one smaller piece or unit of that army.
Does 'batallón' always have a plural form?
Yes, 'batallones'. Note that when you make it plural, the accent mark on the 'o' disappears.