Specific features of border discourse as a special form of social interaction are considered in the article. The characteristic features of communicative situations of border discourse are highlighted. The conditions under which modern border discourse takes place are analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the professional speech of border guards, which is characterized by professional border guard vocabulary, depending on the field of communication. Discourse is a complex communicative event or sociolinguistic structure created by interlocutors in specific communicative, social and pragmatic situations. Border discourse exists in two forms: the oral form and written form. Oral border discourse is the communication between people in the line of duty. It can be a conversation between two servicemen, between an officer and a person crossing the state border of Ukraine, or a senior officer and a subordinate serviceperson. Written border discourse is secondary to oral speech. Written speech is actually dialogical. The material of the research is presented by normative documents, educational materials, materials of mass media, in which the communicative situations of the border discourse are presented. The place of speech situations of border discourse is determined by the sphere of activity of communicators and the method of communication: personal or indirect means of communication (telephone conversations, Internet, correspondence by regular or e-mail, mass media, etc. Participants in speech situations within this discourse are border guards, academics who teach disciplines related to the activities of border guards, members of the media who cover issues related to border activities, as well as ordinary citizens involved in border discourse when crossing the state border. Motives of communication and speech intentions of communicators are determining factors in the selection of language means to achieve the communicative goal. Areas in which the border discourse takes place are official receptions, meetings, conferences, press conferences, negotiations, command and staff exercises, conferences, training situations with the use of professional border guard vocabulary, regulations, official situations at checkpoints.