ejército
/e-JER-si-to/
army
The word ejército refers to a nation's military land force, or army.
📝 In Action
Mi hermano se alistó en el ejército el año pasado.
A2My brother enlisted in the army last year.
El ejército de ese país es muy grande y moderno.
B1That country's army is very large and modern.
Las tropas del ejército avanzaron hacia la capital.
B2The army's troops advanced toward the capital.
💡 Grammar Points
Singular Word for a Group
Even though an army has many people, 'ejército' is a singular word. So you say 'El ejército es grande' (The army is big), not 'son grandes'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Army vs. All Armed Forces
Technically, 'ejército' refers to the land forces. If you want to talk about the army, navy, and air force all together, the more precise term is 'las fuerzas armadas' (the armed forces).
Figuratively, ejército can describe an overwhelming multitude or a very large group, such as an army of ants or volunteers.
ejército(Noun)
army
?figurative, a very large group
host
?a multitude
,swarm
?of insects or small animals
📝 In Action
Un ejército de voluntarios ayudó a limpiar la ciudad después de la inundación.
B2An army of volunteers helped clean the city after the flood.
La cocina estaba invadida por un ejército de hormigas.
B2The kitchen was invaded by an army of ants.
Se necesita un ejército de programadores para terminar este proyecto a tiempo.
C1An army of programmers is needed to finish this project on time.
⭐ Usage Tips
Using it as a Metaphor
This use of 'ejército' is a metaphor to emphasize a huge number of people, animals, or even things. It suggests the group is large, organized, or overwhelming.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: ejército
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'ejército' to describe a large group of people, not soldiers?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'ejército', 'militar', and 'soldado'?
'Ejército' is the whole organization (the army). A 'militar' is any person who is a member of the armed forces (an adjective or a noun). A 'soldado' is a specific rank, a soldier, usually the most basic rank in the army.
How do you say Air Force or Navy in Spanish?
The Air Force is 'el Ejército del Aire' or 'la Fuerza Aérea'. The Navy is 'la Armada' or 'la Marina'.