Militär
/miliˈtɛːr/
The German word for military is Militär.
Militär is a noun used to refer to the military as an institution or the armed forces as a whole.
Meaning: (North America) relating to armed forces such as the army, marines, navy and air force (adj)
Which one should you use?
While Militär refers to the military institution, you should use the adjective militärisch when you want to describe something as being related to the military.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Germany, the specific term Die Bundeswehr is used to refer to the country's armed forces.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say that someone is 'in the military', use the idiomatic prepositional phrase beim Militär.
How do you pronounce it?
/miliˈtɛːr/
Did you know?
- The word Soldat used within the Militär shares the same root as the English word 'soldier', but it originally comes from the Latin solidus, referring to the solid pay or coin they received.
- In Germany, the concept of Zivildienst allowed people to perform a 'civilian service' instead of mandatory Militär service for conscientious objectors, a system that existed for decades.
- In German, the term militärisch can be used to describe a person's strict or rigid demeanor in civilian life, such as a 'military' way of organizing a kitchen.
Examples in context
- Tom war beim Militär.Tom was in the military.This sentence shows how to use the phrase beim Militär to say someone is in the military.Tatoeba #8493701 by Luiaard, translation #7112707 by CM
- Myanmar ist eine Militärdiktatur.Myanmar is a military dictatorship.This sentence uses Militär to describe a type of dictatorship.Tatoeba #13065388 by mhr, translation #13065357 by rul
- Er hat Militärgeschichte studiert.He studied military history.This sentence uses Militär within a compound noun to describe military history.Tatoeba #1977770 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1977710 by Spamster
- Das Militär in Deutschland ist für die Sicherheit des Landes verantwortlich.The military in Germany is responsible for the country's security.
- Die französische Armee ist eine der größten in Europa.The French army is one of the largest in Europe.
- Die Truppe kann stolz auf ihre Leistungen sein.The military personnel can be proud of their achievements.
- Die Soldaten riskieren ihr Leben für unser Land.The soldiers risk their lives for our country.
- Die Bundeswehr spielt eine wichtige Rolle bei internationalen Friedensmissionen.The German Armed Forces play an important role in international peacekeeping missions.
- 35 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hannah and Lukas are discussing career choices.
- HannahWillst du eine Militärlaufbahn beginnen?Do you want to start a military career?
- LukasNein, ich möchte nicht zum Militär gehen.No, I don't want to join the military.
- HannahWarum nicht? Das ist ein stabiler Job.Why not? It is a stable job.
- LukasIch finde den Militäralltag einfach zu streng.I just find military daily life too strict.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Militär, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
