comandante
coh-mahn-DAHN-teh
📝 In Action
El comandante ordenó a sus tropas que se prepararan.
B1The commander ordered his troops to prepare.
La comandante de la policía revisó el perímetro de seguridad.
B2The police commander (female) checked the security perimeter.
Para ascender a comandante, se necesita mucha experiencia.
B2To be promoted to major/commander, a lot of experience is needed.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Flexibility
Even though 'comandante' ends in '-e', it can refer to both men and women. Use 'el comandante' for a man and 'la comandante' for a woman.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Changing the Ending
Mistake: "Using *comandanta* when referring to a female commander."
Correction: While *comandanta* is sometimes heard regionally, the preferred and standard form is 'la comandante' (always ending in -e) in most formal contexts.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Title
When addressing or referring to this person directly, it's polite to use the title before the name: 'Buenos días, Comandante Pérez.' (Good morning, Commander Pérez.)
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: comandante
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly refers to a woman who is the head of a military base?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'comandante' the highest rank in the military?
'Comandante' is a high rank, often equivalent to a Major or Lieutenant Commander, but it is typically intermediate. There are generally several higher ranks above it, such as General or Colonel, depending on the country's system.
Can 'comandante' be used outside the military or police?
Yes, occasionally. While its official use is for military/police, sometimes people use it figuratively to refer to the 'chief' or 'leader' of a group or operation, like the lead pilot of a commercial flight.