If they only speak Terran, how will an Earth Elemental understand my half-orc's verbal commands when I summon one with Conjure Elemental?

This has come up in games before. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that the elemental will understand your command no matter what language you are speaking. However, just because it can understand you, does not mean it can speak back to you in a language other than Terran.

Example: If you wanted the earth elemental to burrow somewhere for reconnaissance, and then have it report back to you, it would be unable to do so because it can only speak Terran and you cannot understand it. 

Could I learn to speak Terran tho?

You could only learn to speak Terran if your DM allows it. Alternatively, you could communicate with your earth elemental through magical means such as comprehend languages.

Comprehend Languages helps you understand but not communicate. I believe Tongues does.

Can Earth Elementals be healed with potions?

1. The spell literally says you can just tell it what to do and it'll do it and 2. Terran is a dialect of primordial, which is a very exotic language spoken by elementals and genasi.

Quote from Lomonocrat >>

If they only speak Terran, how will an Earth Elemental understand my half-orc's verbal commands when I summon one with Conjure Elemental?

 ahem

MAGIC

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Terran is a dialect of primordial, which is an exotic language you can pick at creation or learn if your DM allows. (Did a little research in the MM, cuz I had the same question)

Storm Sorcerers (for example) automatically know primordial, and are explicitly also able to communicate in Terran, Ignan, Aquan, and, Auran as they are simply dialects of Primordial.

Don't conjured creatures understand you even if you don't share a language?

it's a language, so yeah

why not?

Is the burrowing speed and the earth glide feature the same thing? Like, does it have a burrowing speed because of the earth glide feature, or does it have the burrowing speed and the earth glide ability?

Burrowing speed and earth glide are separate abilities. Burrowing would mean it’s moving through the ground but disturbing the land around it, whilst earth glide is an ability it’d probably have to choose to use but which doesn’t affect it’s surroundings.

Am I crazy or can an earth elemental make its two attacks then sink into the earth for full cover?

Yes, yes it does

Correct me if I'm wrong...

Earth Elemental + Elemental Wild Shape = Earth glide and attack from both sides?

I don't know I would assume there would be opportunity attacks available...

can an earth elemental be diseased?