When we talk about the verb reclutar, we're talking about the act of enlisting new individuals, especially into the armed forces. It's similar to recruiting in English. You might hear this verb used in news about military service or in historical contexts when discussing how armies were formed. For instance, a country might reclutar soldiers during a time of need. Keep in mind that while it often relates to the military, it can sometimes be used more generally for gathering people for a specific purpose, like a team, but its primary meaning is military recruitment. Understanding reclutar helps you comprehend discussions about national defense and historical events.
Examples by Level
El gobierno planea reclutar a más jóvenes para el servicio militar.
The government plans to enlist more young people for military service.
reclutar is a regular -ar verb. 'a más jóvenes' uses the personal 'a' because 'jóvenes' refers to people.
Fue reclutado para la guerra a una edad muy temprana.
He was recruited for the war at a very young age.
Here, 'reclutado' is the past participle used as an adjective, modifying 'él' (understood subject).
Están reclutando personal para la nueva base militar.
They are enlisting personnel for the new military base.
The present progressive 'están reclutando' indicates an ongoing action.
Decidió reclutarse en el ejército después de terminar la escuela.
He decided to enlist in the army after finishing school.
Here, 'reclutarse' is used reflexively, meaning to enlist oneself.
Los oficiales llegaron para reclutar nuevos soldados.
The officers arrived to recruit new soldiers.
'para reclutar' indicates purpose: 'in order to recruit'.
Si no reclutan suficientes voluntarios, podrían implementar el servicio obligatorio.
If they don't enlist enough volunteers, they might implement mandatory service.
This sentence uses the subjunctive ('recluten') in the 'if' clause for a hypothetical situation.
La campaña para reclutar más miembros fue muy exitosa.
The campaign to recruit more members was very successful.
'para reclutar' again indicates purpose. 'miembros' (members) can be used in a broader sense, not just military.
A muchos jóvenes se les exige reclutarse al cumplir los dieciocho años.
Many young people are required to enlist when they turn eighteen.
The passive voice construction 'se les exige' is used, and 'reclutarse' is the reflexive form.
How to Use It
reclutar is mainly used to talk about enlisting people into the armed forces or other similar organizations. While it can sometimes be used more broadly to mean 'to recruit' for other purposes, it's not the most common or natural choice for everyday situations like recruiting for a job. For general recruitment, words like contratar (to hire) or seleccionar (to select) are often better fits.
A common mistake is using reclutar for any kind of recruitment, like hiring new employees for a company. While not strictly wrong in all contexts, it can sound a bit formal or even militaristic if you're talking about a typical job opening. For example, instead of saying 'Vamos a reclutar nuevos empleados' (We are going to recruit new employees), it's more natural to say 'Vamos a contratar nuevos empleados' (We are going to hire new employees).
Test Yourself 18 questions
Imagine you are talking about the army needing more people. Write a sentence saying the army needs to enlist more soldiers.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
El ejército necesita reclutar más soldados.
You want to say that the navy is going to enlist new sailors. Write a sentence.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
La marina va a reclutar nuevos marineros.
Write a sentence about someone being enlisted for a military service.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Él fue reclutado para el servicio militar.
¿Qué decidió el gobierno?
Read this passage:
El gobierno decidió reclutar a más personas para el servicio militar obligatorio. Muchos jóvenes están preocupados por esto. Algunas familias no quieren que sus hijos vayan al ejército.
¿Qué decidió el gobierno?
The passage states 'El gobierno decidió reclutar a más personas para el servicio militar obligatorio.'
The passage states 'El gobierno decidió reclutar a más personas para el servicio militar obligatorio.'
¿Qué tipo de estudiantes busca la academia militar?
Read this passage:
La academia militar tiene un plan para reclutar estudiantes cada año. Buscan jóvenes con buena salud y disciplina. Es un proceso largo pero importante para el futuro del país.
¿Qué tipo de estudiantes busca la academia militar?
The passage says 'Buscan jóvenes con buena salud y disciplina.'
The passage says 'Buscan jóvenes con buena salud y disciplina.'
¿Qué es ilegal en algunos países?
Read this passage:
En algunos países, es ilegal reclutar a menores de edad para la guerra. Es una norma internacional importante para proteger a los niños. Los soldados deben ser adultos.
¿Qué es ilegal en algunos países?
The passage states 'es ilegal reclutar a menores de edad para la guerra.'
The passage states 'es ilegal reclutar a menores de edad para la guerra.'
This sentence means 'The army wants to recruit more people.' The subject 'El ejército' (The army) comes first, followed by the verb 'quiere' (wants) and the infinitive 'reclutar' (to recruit), with the object 'más gente' (more people) after that.
This sentence translates to 'They are recruiting for military service.' The subject 'Ellos' (They) is followed by the present progressive form 'están reclutando' (are recruiting), and then 'para servicio militar' (for military service).
This question means 'When are they going to recruit new soldiers?' '¿Cuándo' (When) starts the question, followed by the verb phrase 'van a reclutar' (are going to recruit) and then 'nuevos soldados' (new soldiers).
Choose the best synonym for 'reclutar' in the context of a company hiring new staff.
'Contratar' means to hire, which is the closest equivalent to 'reclutar' when referring to employment outside the military.
Which of the following phrases is most similar to 'reclutar voluntarios'?
'Conseguir ayuda' means to get help, which aligns with the idea of enlisting or recruiting volunteers.
If a government wants to 'reclutar' doctors for a public health campaign, what are they essentially doing?
In this context, 'reclutar' means to attract or bring in health professionals for a specific purpose.
The word 'reclutar' can only be used in the context of military enlistment.
While 'reclutar' is commonly associated with military enlistment, it can also be used in other contexts, such as recruiting for a team, organization, or cause.
If a university is trying to 'reclutar' estudiantes de alto rendimiento, it means they are trying to attract intelligent students.
Yes, in this context, 'reclutar' implies attracting or enrolling high-achieving students.
To 'reclutar' means to dismiss someone from a group or organization.
On the contrary, 'reclutar' means to bring new people into a group or organization, not to dismiss them.
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