defensa
/deh-FEN-sah/
defense
Defensa meaning the act of defending or protecting.
defensa(noun)
defense
?act of defending or protecting
,protection
?safeguarding
advocacy
?active support for a cause
,bumper
?physical buffer on a vehicle (Regional)
📝 In Action
La defensa de sus ideales fue muy emotiva.
B1The defense of her ideals was very moving.
El gobierno asegura la defensa del territorio nacional.
A2The government ensures the defense of national territory.
Necesitamos crear una defensa fuerte contra el virus.
A2We need to create a strong defense against the virus.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Feminine
Even if the person performing the defense is male, 'defensa' itself is always feminine: 'la defensa'.
Defensa referring to the legal side representing the accused in court.
defensa(noun)
the defense
?legal side representing the accused
,defense counsel
?the lawyers representing the accused
plea
?a formal statement in court
📝 In Action
La defensa argumentó que no había pruebas suficientes.
B1The defense argued that there was insufficient evidence.
El juez escuchó los alegatos de la fiscalía y la defensa.
B2The judge listened to the arguments of the prosecution and the defense.
💡 Grammar Points
Legal Role
In court, 'la defensa' refers to the entire legal team protecting the accused, while 'el fiscal' (the prosecutor) represents the state.
Defensa when referring to the group of players who defend in a sport.
defensa(noun)
defense
?the team or group of players who defend
,defender
?a player whose role is to defend (as in soccer)
back line
?position in sports
📝 In Action
Nuestra defensa jugó muy bien y no encajamos goles.
A2Our defense played very well and we didn't concede any goals.
El entrenador decidió reforzar la defensa.
A2The coach decided to reinforce the defense.
El defensa central recibió una tarjeta amarilla.
B1The center back (defender) received a yellow card.
💡 Grammar Points
Referring to the Player
You can say 'el defensa' (the male defender) or 'la defensa' (the female defender or the entire defensive line). The noun 'defensa' itself is still feminine.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing Genders for the Team
Mistake: "El defensa fue excelente."
Correction: La defensa fue excelente. (Use 'la' when talking about the group/team performance, use 'el' when referring to a male player.)
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: defensa
Question 1 of 2
Which meaning of 'defensa' is used in the phrase: 'El coche chocó y perdió la defensa'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'defensa' always feminine?
Yes, 'defensa' is grammatically a feminine noun (it always takes 'la'). However, when you talk about a male player in sports, you use the masculine article 'el' with the feminine noun: 'el defensa' (the defender).
How do I say 'self-defense'?
The standard phrase is 'en defensa propia'.