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How to Say "army" in Spanish

English → Spanish

ejército

NounA2General
Use 'ejército' when referring to a country's official military land force, or figuratively for a very large, organized group.

Examples

Mi hermano se alistó en el ejército el año pasado.

My brother enlisted in the army last year.

batallón

NounB2Figurative
Use 'batallón' to describe a large group of people, often in a more informal or figurative context, similar to 'a throng' or 'a crowd'.

Examples

Un batallón de fans esperaba al cantante en el aeropuerto.

An army of fans was waiting for the singer at the airport.

regimiento

/rre-hee-myen-toh//rexiˈmjento/

NounC1Figurative
Use 'regimiento' figuratively to denote a large number or group, particularly when emphasizing their collective action or a significant quantity.
A large crowd of colorful people standing together in a park.

Examples

Un regimiento de voluntarios limpió la playa en un día.

A regiment of volunteers cleaned the beach in one day.

Necesitaremos un regimiento de cocineros para esta boda.

We will need an army of cooks for this wedding.

Using 'de' for groups

When using this to mean 'a group of,' always use the word 'de' followed by the plural noun (e.g., 'un regimiento de niños').

Ejército vs. Batallón/Regimiento

The most common mistake is using 'ejército' for figurative large groups when 'batallón' or 'regimiento' would be more appropriate. Remember, 'ejército' is primarily for the military; use the others for large crowds or collections of people.

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