Common Spanish Phrases for Military Personnel

Spanish is one of the most popular languages for folks in the U.S. to learn, and for good reason. It’s the second-most spoken language in America; roughly 15% of U.S. households speak Spanish at home, and there are countless bilingual English-Spanish communities across the country.

When you think about the reasons for learning Spanish, it’s usually in the context of students, professionals, or travelers. Another group of people who benefit from learning Spanish? Military service personnel.

How can learning Spanish for the military benefit a service member? From career advancement to practical communication skills applicable at home and abroad, knowing Spanish in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard is a rewarding, respected skill.

Why Knowing Spanish Matters in the Field for Military Personnel

English is the operational and administrative language of the United States Armed Forces. Proficiency in English is required for service members to maintain operational integrity and perform all required duties.

However, the ability to speak and understand Spanish can serve military personnel well, both at home and abroad. Even though English is the de facto language of the U.S. military, service members are encouraged to learn other languages to promote interoperability as well as to develop well-rounded leadership skills. The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, for example, provides many foreign language classes, including varied Spanish courses. Spanish comes in handy for plenty of practical, real-life situations, as we’ll explore below.

Essential Military Spanish Phrases

Here are some common words and phrases spoken by military personnel working with Spanish-speaking partner forces or local nationals:

Spanish Safety, Emergency & Tactical Communication for the Military 

From humanitarian missions to intelligence gathering to even tactical awareness, Spanish for military personnel is clearly applicable in a military career. Here are just a few examples of its many real-world applications:

• Better communication with U.S. Spanish speakers. The U.S. Army is involved with numerous community outreach and engagement programs. Designed to encourage interest and patriotism in the armed forces while also strengthening community bonds, these initiatives will require more Spanish-speaking service members in the years ahead.
• Enhanced intelligence gathering. Bilingual military personnel are valuable assets for intelligence operations. From analysis of written documents to reviewing Spanish-language communications, knowing Spanish for army and military intelligence initiatives is quickly becoming a must-have skill for any service member in the intelligence community.
• “Boots on the ground” operations abroad. The U.S. military has been involved in many humanitarian and disaster relief missions throughout Latin America. The ability to speak Spanish is critical for communicating with locals (for disaster relief, food distribution, etc.), and also helps align the U.S. military’s mission with local, regional, and national government officials in Spanish-speaking countries.
• Improved joint operations exercises. To promote understanding and strengthen ties with allies, the U.S. Armed Forces frequently conduct joint training sessions with Spanish-speaking military units. From counterterrorism operations to new equipment training, these exercises are enhanced when U.S. service members can effectively communicate with their Spanish-speaking counterparts. 

Tips to Learn Military Spanish Phrases Faster

In the military, prompt action is required – and most times, demanded. Learning Spanish for military personnel may not have the same urgency as an immediate command from a superior officer, but it’s still worth the investment! Pimsleur^® is a language-learning program that can help you achieve your goals. With a convenient app designed for learning on the go, Pimsleur lessons fit easily into your day.

On top of core Audio Lessons that you can take with you anywhere, Pimsleur continues to prioritize both convenience and quality with a whole new experience for learners. Pimsleur’s Latin American Spanish course has a new feature that tailors your learning to your goals: our AI Conversation Coach. With our Conversation Coach, you not only review what you’ve learned from our core Audio Lessons, but you also personalize conversation scenarios to get the most out of your daily language learning time. If you’re a service member, perhaps that means you’ll be chatting with our Conversation Coach about communicating with locals while you’re deployed, coordinating training exercises with partner forces, and interacting with local police and government officials. That doesn’t sound like your path? No problem! The Conversation Coach is customizable. And if your interests or goals change, then you can change your Conversation Coach scenarios. It’s the perfect way to build healthy language learning habits because you’ll be learning precisely what aligns with your goals.

If you’d like to learn Spanish to enhance your military career, here are some things you can do to accelerate your learning curve:

• Practice with practical situations in mind. This is where Pimsleur’s AI Conversation Coach is key – you can focus your language learning on interest areas that you’ll actually use! Think civilian relief, humanitarian missions (food & water distribution), or day-to-day conversations with locals. And you still have the backing of Pimsleur’s core Audio Lessons, providing an educational path that supports your language-learning journey as a whole.
• Converse with fellow Spanish-speaking military personnel. Since anywhere from 15-20% of active U.S. military personnel already speak Spanish, you probably already have some opportunities to learn military Spanish from your fellow service members.
• Try a proven language learning platform. Pimsleur’s proven language instruction techniques, guided by the Pimsleur Method™, help anyone learn Spanish quickly. Best of all, our convenient app makes learning convenient and fun – take lessons and courses whenever and wherever you have free time!

Build Confidence in Your Military Spanish Communication with Pimsleur

Given the growth of the Spanish speaking population in the Western Hemisphere – in South and Central America, the Caribbean, and even within the United States – knowing Spanish for military personnel will only become an increasingly valuable skill.

Interested in learning Spanish for your own military career? Pimsleur offers a great military discount for any member of the U.S. Armed Forces. You can check your eligibility to see if you qualify for this special pricing – and if you do, you’ll enjoy 54% off Lifetime All Access and 30% off All Access annual subscriptions. A discount and a new AI Conversation Coach? The perfect combination for the ambitious, dedicated service member.