soldado
/sohl-DAH-doh/
soldier
The word soldado means soldier, military personnel.
📝 In Action
Mi tío es un soldado que sirve en la armada.
A2My uncle is a soldier who serves in the navy.
Vimos una estatua del soldado desconocido en la plaza central.
B1We saw a statue of the unknown soldier in the central square.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Use
Even when referring to a woman in the military, the masculine form 'soldado' is often used, preceded by 'la' (e.g., 'la soldado'). The term 'soldada' exists but is much less common.
⭐ Usage Tips
Pronunciation Tip
The 'd' in the middle of 'soldado' is pronounced very softly, almost like the 'th' in 'the' in English.
Soldado can also be used as an adjective meaning soldered, joined with a metal alloy.
📝 In Action
El tubo de cobre estaba bien soldado y no perdía agua.
B1The copper pipe was well soldered and wasn't leaking water.
La conexión electrónica estaba soldada con precisión.
B2The electronic connection was soldered with precision.
💡 Grammar Points
Past Participle as Adjective
This adjective is the past participle of the verb 'soldar' (to solder/weld). Like all descriptive words, it must agree in number and gender with the thing it describes (e.g., 'placas soldadas').
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: soldado
Question 1 of 1
¿Cuál es el significado de 'soldado' en la siguiente frase: 'El cable está soldado a la placa base'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 'soldado' to refer to a female soldier?
Yes. It is very common and completely correct to say 'la soldado' when talking about a woman who serves in the military. You do not need to change the word ending to '-a' in this case, though 'la soldada' exists in some regions.
How is the noun 'soldado' different from the verb 'soldar'?
'Soldado' (the noun) is a person who serves in the army. 'Soldar' is the action verb, meaning 'to join things together using heat and metal' (like welding or soldering). They sound similar and are related, but they describe very different things.