Whether you're reading world news, watching a war movie, or studying history, you’ll come across the word military. Knowing how to say military in German helps you express ideas around defense, war, power, and structure — both seriously and critically.
The German word for military is das Militär. It’s neuter, and it has no plural form. If you're working on mastering articles, watch my gender video lesson — it’ll make all these forms clear and memorable.
Militär is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, not just in political contexts, but in common discussions about society and security.
Here’s how Militär appears in each of the four grammatical cases:
Nominative:
Das Militär kontrolliert das Gebiet.
The military controls the area.
Accusative:
Er kritisiert das Militär offen.
He openly criticizes the military.
Dative:
Sie arbeitet beim Militär.
She works in the military.
Genitive:
Die Entscheidung des Militärs war umstritten.
The decision of the military was controversial.
Militär is used in both formal and informal settings — and sometimes with irony or distance, depending on the speaker’s views. It shows up in discussions of:
Politics: Das Militär übernimmt die Kontrolle
Service: Er ist beim Militär (He's in the military)
Strategy and structure: militärisch (military, adj.)
Verbs that pair with it: dienen (to serve), kritisiert werden (to be criticized), unterstützen (to support), angreifen (to attack).
Adjectives: stark (strong), bewaffnet (armed), staatlich (state-run), professionell (professional), militärisch (military, adj.)
Beginner dialogue using the word in context:
A: Warst du beim Militär?
B: Nein, ich habe Zivildienst gemacht.
A: Were you in the military?
B: No, I did civilian service.
Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it out loud using Militär.
“Was denkst du: Sollte jeder im Militär dienen — oder nicht?”
What do you think: Should everyone serve in the military — or not?
Even just one sentence aloud helps you activate and remember the word.
German Word of the Day
Now you’ve learned how to say military in German — and how das Militär helps you speak clearly about service, war, and structure. Use it thoughtfully, and understand it deeply.
Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and keep growing your vocabulary with context and confidence.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Explore Mittag — and get a feel for how time shapes culture and routine.
Or revisit Mühe — and learn to express care, energy, and value in conversation.