Private ( rank ) A private is a soldier of the lowest military rank ( equivalent to NATO Rank Grades OR - 1 to OR - 3 depending on the force served in ) . In modern military parlance , ' private ' is shortened to ' Pte ' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to ' Pvt . ' in the United States . Etymology . The term derives from the medieval term " private soldiers " ( a term still used in the United Kingdom ) , denoting soldiers who were either hired , conscripted , or feudalized into service by a nobleman forming an army . The usage of " private " dates from the 18th century . Asia . Israel . In the Israel Defense Forces , טוראי " Turai " ( " private " ) refers to the lowest enlisted rank . After 7 – 10 months of service ( 7 for combatants , 8 for combat support and 10 for non - combatants ) soldiers are promoted from private to corporal ( " rav - turai " or " rabat " ) , if they performed their duties appropriately during this time . Soldiers who take a commander ' s course , are prisoner instructors or practical engineers become corporals earlier . An IDF private wears no uniform insignia and is sometimes described as having a " slick sleeve " for this reason . Korea . The equivalent ranks to privates within the North and South Korean armies are " il - byong " and " e - byong " . The symbol for this rank is 1 line ( | ) or 2 lines ( | | ) . Private second class is known by 1 line , while private first class is 2 lines . 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 . 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 : Canada . In the Canadian Forces , there are three levels of private : private ( recruit ) , private ( basic ) , and private ( trained ) . All persons holding the rank of private are referred to as such and the qualifier shown in brackets is used on employment records only . A private is considered an " apprentice " in their trade , and there are no pay raises between the various levels of private except for time in rank raise . The Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force have an identical rank structure . An army private may also be known by other titles , depending on unit and branch : The Royal Canadian Navy ' s equivalents are : India and Pakistan . In the Indian Army and Pakistan Army the lowest enlisted rank is sepoy , literally meaning " soldier " in Urdu . A sepoy does not wear any rank insignia on his uniform . Sipahis are sometimes also referred to as " jawan " , literally meaning " young " in Urdu . Indonesia . In Indonesia , this rank is referred to " Tamtama " , which is the lowest rank for Indonesian Armed Forces and Police Force . 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 regiment s 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 . Also in the Boys Brigade the rank of private is used when a boy moves from the junior section to the company section . Notably , both Sir Fitzroy Maclean and Enoch Powell are examples of rare , rapid career progression with the British Army , both rising from the rank of private to brigadier during World War II . Distinctive equivalents for private include : Europe and Latin America . Argentina , Chile , Colombia , Dominican Republic , Mexico and Spain . The equivalent rank to private in the Spanish , Mexican , Colombian , Dominican and Argentinian army is the " soldado raso " meaning " rankless soldier " or simply " soldado " . Belgium . On enlistment in the Belgian army one is given the rank of , 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 Koninklijke Militaire Academie ( for officer training ) one is soon promoted to the rank of ( " corporal " ) . The insignia is a simple black mark . Brazil and Portugal . The equivalent rank to private in the Brazilian and Portuguese Armed Forces is the " soldado " meaning soldier . 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 : In the Finnish Air Force , the basic rank is " lentosotamies " ( " flight war man " ) . In the Finnish Navy , the basic rank is " matruusi " ( " seaman " ) . Special corps troopers may be referred by their function or unit , such as " kaartinjääkäri " ( Guards jaeger ) , " panssarijääkäri " ( panzerjäger ) , " 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 " ) . Germany . The German " Bundeswehr " modern - day equivalent of the private rank ( NATO - standard code OR - 1 ) is either " Schütze " ( rifleman ) , " Kanonier " ( gunner ) or " Jäger " ( light - infantryman otherwise ranger ) , and sometimes in general simply " Soldat " ( soldier ) , as well as other unit - specific distinctions . Up until 1918 it was " Gemeine " ( Ordinary soldier ) as well as unit - specific distinctions such as " Musketier " ( musketeer ) , " Infanterist " ( infantryman ) , " Kürassier " ( cuirassier ) , " Jäger " ( light - infantryman otherwise ranger ) , " Füsilier " ( fusilier ) etc . , until 1945 " Soldat " ( soldier ) and unit - specific distinctions such as " Schütze " ( rifleman ) , " Grenadier " ( grenadier ) etc . The navy equivalent of the private rank is known as " Matrose " ( sailor or seaman ) , and the German Air Force equivalent is " Flieger " ( aviator or airman ) which is also used by army aviators . 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 . 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 corporal s . Italy . In the Italian army " soldato " is the lowest military rank . This rank is also referred to as " recluta " . Netherlands . In the Royal Netherlands Army , the " Landmacht " , the equivalent ranks are " soldaat " ( soldier ) , similar to the original French , with different classes : Depending on where the " soldaat " serves , he may be deemed a " kanonnier " ( gunner in the artillery ) , " huzaar " ( hussar in the cavalry ) or " fuselier " ( rifleman in the rifles ) as well as " commando " , " jager " or " rijder " . There is less differentiation than in other countries between different armed forces . A " soldaat " can be promoted to " korporaal " ( corporal ) . Switzerland . In the Swiss army a recruit is given the rank of " soldat " when he finishes basic training , mostly after 13 weeks . Some branches of the military have special ranks such as " fusilier " ( Fus ) or " pionier " ( Pi ) . United States . In the U . S . Army , private ( PVT ) is used for the two lowest enlisted ranks , just below private first class . The lowest rank is officially known as " private E - 1 " ( PV1 ) and sometimes referred to as recruit , but also held by some soldiers after punishment through the Uniform Code of Military Justice or prisoners after conviction until they are dishonorably discharged . A PV1 wears no uniform insignia ; since the advent of the Army Combat Uniform , the term " fuzzy " has come into vogue , referring to the blank velcro patch on the ACU where the rank would normally be placed . The second rank , private E - 2 ( PV2 ) , wears a single chevron , known colloquially as " mosquito wings " . Advancement to the PV2 is automatic after six months time in service , but may get shortened to four months if given a waiver . An Eagle Scout may enlist at anytime and will automatically be promoted to PFC . The term of address , " Private , " may be properly applied to any Army soldier E - 1 ( PV1 ) to E - 3 ( PFC ) . In the U . S . Marine Corps , private ( PVT ) only refers to the lowest enlisted rank , just below private first class . A Marine Corps private wears no uniform insignia and is sometimes described as having a " slick sleeve " for this reason . Most new , non - officer marines begin their military career as a private . In the Marine Corps , privates first class are not referred to as " privates " ; it is more appropriate to use either " private first class " or " PFC " .