A private is a soldier, usually with the lowest rank in many armies. Soldiers with the rank of private may be conscripts or they may be professional (career) soldiers.
The term derives from the term "private soldier". "Private" comes from the Latin word privus or perhaps privo that meant an individual person and later an individual without an office.
Asia Indonesia
In Indonesia, this rank is referred to as Prajurit (), which is the lowest rank in the Indonesian National Armed Forces. In the Indonesian Army, Indonesian Marine Corps, and Indonesian Air Force, "Private" has three levels, which are: Private Second Class (Prajurit Dua), Private First Class (Prajurit Satu), and Chief Private (Prajurit Kepala). After this rank, the next promotion is to Corporal.
People's Republic of China In the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China, Privates and Privates First Class are typically conscripted soldiers serving for a two-year period; conscripts who volunteer to continue beyond this period may become professional soldiers: "After the end of induction training, conscripts are awarded the rank of private; in their second year they become privates first class. At the end of two years, conscripts may be demobilized or, if they volunteer, they may be selected to become NCOs. They can also attend a military academy to become officers after passing a test. In effect, the two-year conscription period is a probation period."
Philippines In the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the rank of Private is the lowest enlisted personnel rank. It is currently being used by the Philippine Army and the Philippine Marine Corps. It stands below the rank of Private first class. It is equivalent to the Airman of the Air Force and the Apprentice Seaman of the Navy and Coast Guard.
Singapore Once recruits complete their Basic Military Training (BMT) or Basic Rescue Training (BRT), they attain the rank of private (PTE). Privates do not wear ranks on their rank holder. PTEs who perform well are promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal (LCP). The PFC rank is rarely awarded today by the Singapore Armed Forces. All private enlistees can be promoted directly to lance corporal should they meet the minimum qualifying requirements, conduct appraisal and work performance. Recruits who did not complete BMT but did complete two years of National Service will be promoted to private.
Commonwealth
Australia In the Australian Army, a soldier of private rank wears no insignia. Like its British Army counterpart, the Australian Army rank of private (PTE) has other titles, depending on the corps and specification of that service member.
The following alternative ranks are available for privates in the Australian Army:
Craftsman (CFN) – Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Gunner (GNR) – Royal Australian Artillery Sapper (SPR) – Royal Australian Engineers; Musician (MUSN) – Australian Army Band Corps Signalman (SIG) – Royal Australian Corps of Signals Trooper (TPR) – Royal Australian Armoured Corps, Australian Army Aviation and the Australian Special Air Service Regiment Patrolman - Regional Force Surveillance Units
New Zealand In the New Zealand Army, a soldier of private rank wears no insignia. Like its British Army counterpart, the New Zealand Army rank of private (PTE) has other titles, depending on the corps and specification of that service member.
The following alternative ranks are available for privates in the New Zealand Army:
Gunner (GNR) - Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery Trooper (TPR) - Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps and the New Zealand Special Air Service Sapper (SPR) - The Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers Signaller (SIG) - Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals
Canada
In the Canadian Army, the term private refers to the two lowest non-commissioned member ranks.
The lowest rank is Private (Recruit). Canadian Army recruits hold this rank upon enrolment until they complete the requirements of the next rank, a holder of this rank wears a blank rank insignia that reads "Canada" because they are technically considered to generically belong to the Canadian Armed Forces rather than a specific regiment.
The next rank is Private (Basic), is equivalent to a NATO OR-1, and a holder of this rank still wears blank rank insignia and a blank rank legend with the abbreviation of their regiment at the bottom. Canadian Army recruits hold this rank upon completion of Basic training until they complete the requirements of the next rank.
The rank of Private (Trained), equivalent to a NATO OR-2, is achieved following successful completion of the applicable trades training (QL3/DP1) and 30 months of service. A holder of this rank wears rank insignia consisting of a single chevron.
The equivalent ranks in the Royal Canadian Navy are Sailor 3rd Class (for Private (Basic)), and Sailor 2nd Class (for Private (Trained)).
The equivalent ranks in the Royal Canadian Air Force are Aviator (Basic), and Aviator (Trained)
Canadian Army Privates (Trained) may be known by other titles, depending on their personnel branch and their regiment's tradition: Trooper – armoured crewmen in the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps Gunner – artillerymen in the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery Sapper – combat engineers in the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers Signaller (not usually observed) – communicator research, cyber, and signal operators, and information systems, line, and signal technicians in the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Craftsman (not usually observed) – electronic-optronic, materials, vehicle, and weapons technicians in the Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Guardsman – Royal Canadian Infantry Corps (RCIC) members of foot guard regiments Fusilier – RCIC members of fusilier regiments Rifleman – RCIC members of rifle regiments
South Africa In the South African Army the lowest enlisted rank is Private. Privates do not wear insignia on their uniforms. In the different corps it is known with different titles. Rifleman (Rfn) - South African Infantry Corps Signalman (Sgn) - South African Signal Corps Gunner (Gnr) - South African Armour Corps and South African Artillery Corps Sapper (Spr) - South African Engineer Corps
United Kingdom In the British Army, a private (Pte) equates to both OR-1 and OR-2 on the NATO scale, although there is no difference in rank. Privates wear no insignia. Many regiments and corps use other distinctive and descriptive names instead of private, some of these ranks have been used for centuries; others are less than 100 years old. In the contemporary British Armed Forces, the army rank of private is broadly equivalent to able seaman in the Royal Navy, aircraftman, leading aircraftman and senior aircraftman in the Royal Air Force, and marine (Mne) or bandsman, as appropriate equivalent rank in the Royal Marines. In the Boys' Brigade the rank of private is used when a boy moves from the junior section to the company section.
Distinctive equivalents for private include: Airtrooper (AirTpr) – Army Air Corps Bugler (Bgr) – buglers in The Rifles and formerly also in other Rifle regiments Craftsman (Cfn) – Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (women as well as men use this rank) Drummer (Dmr) – drummers in infantry regiments Fusilier (Fus) – Fusilier regiments Gunner (Gnr) – Royal Artillery Guardsman (Gdsm) – Foot Guards Highlander (Hldr) – The Highlanders Kingsman (Kgn) – Duke of Lancaster's Regiment Musician (Musn) – military bands (formerly if a military band had a Bandmaster, they would be known as Bandsman (Bdsm)) Piper (Ppr) – bagpipers in Scottish and Irish regiments Ranger (Rgr) – Royal Irish Regiment (also previously Royal Irish Rangers) Rifleman (Rfn) – Rifle regiments Sapper (Spr) – Royal Engineers Signaller (Sig) – Royal Corps of Signals (formerly called signalman) Trooper (Tpr) – cavalry (Household Cavalry, Royal Armoured Corps, Special Air Service and Honourable Artillery Company) Trumpeter (Tptr) – trumpeters in the Household Cavalry (and formerly in all cavalry regiments)
Royal Marines In the Corps of Royal Marines, the rank structure follows that of British infantry regiments with the exception that the Royal Marines equivalent of private is Marine (Mne).
During the course of the First World War, some Royal Marines also took the rank of Sapper, this was usually found as part of the Royal Marine Divisional Engineers of the Royal Naval Division.
Europe
Belgium Upon enlistment to the Belgian army, one is given the rank of (Dutch) or (French), whether one wishes to be a volunteer, non-commissioned officer or officer. Subsequent rank depends on the branch of the service: for example, at the Royal Military Academy (for officer training) one is soon promoted to the rank of (Dutch) or (French) i.e. "corporal". The insignia is a simple black mark or the simplified version of the Royal Military Academy's coat of arms for candidate officers.
Finland
The Finnish equivalent rank is sotamies (literally "war man"), although since 1973 this has been purely a paper term as all infantry troopers were renamed as jääkäri troops, previously reserved only to mobile light infantry. As in the British army, the various branches use different names:
Infantry – jääkäri ("jaeger") Military engineers – pioneeri ("pioneer") Signal corps – viestimies ("signaller") Cavalry – rakuuna ("dragoon") Artillery – tykkimies ("artilleryman") Tank corps – panssarimies ("tankman")
In the Finnish Air Force, the basic rank is lentosotamies ("airman"). In the Finnish Navy, the basic rank is matruusi ("seaman") or tykkimies ("artilleryman") in the marine infantry.
Special corps troopers may be referred by their function or unit, such as kaartinjääkäri (Guards jaeger), panssarijääkäri (armored jaeger), laskuvarjojääkäri (paratroop jaeger), rajajääkäri (border jaeger) or rannikkojääkäri (coastal jaeger).
France In the French army, soldat de seconde classe is the lowest military rank. This rank is also referred to as recrue ("recruit").
Hungary The name of the lowest rank in the Hungarian army (Magyar Honvédség) is the honvéd which means "homeland defender". The word is also used informally for a soldier in general of any rank (i.e. "our honvéds" or an officer referred as a honvédtiszt, honvéd officer). This is because Hungarian military traditions are strictly defensive, despite the Hungarian army participating in offensives on foreign soil in both world wars. The word honvéd has been in use since the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. The term is not used for soldiers of foreign armies: a foreign soldier with no rank is called közlegény, literally "common lad" or "common man".
Ireland
Private (Pte) (saighdiúr singil in Irish), is the lowest enlisted rank in the Irish Army. Soldiers enlist as recruits then undergo a basic course of instruction. There are three grades of private in the army. After basic training the soldier is upgraded (rather than promoted) from recruit to private 2 star (Pte 2*) (saighdiúr singil, 2 réalta). After more corps-specific training (usually lasting eight weeks) the soldier is upgraded to private 3 star (Pte 3*) (saighdiúr singil, 3 réalta). All are usually just addressed as "private", although before being upgraded, recruits may be addressed as "recruit".
In corps units, the rank designation changes. In the artillery, the rank is known as gunner (Gnr), but usually only after the completion of a gunners' course, and in the cavalry it is known as trooper (Tpr). Communications and Information Services privates are known as signalman or signalwoman. Medical orderlies are sometimes referred to as medic, although this can apply to privates and corporals.
Italy In the Italian Army is the lowest military rank. This rank is also referred to as (meaning recruit).