guardias
“guardias” means “guards” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
guards, security personnel
Also: police officers
📝 In Action
Los guardias revisaron todas las bolsas antes de entrar al estadio.
A2The guards checked all the bags before entering the stadium.
Las guardias de seguridad se turnaron para vigilar la entrada.
B1The female security personnel took turns watching the entrance.
shifts, on-call duties
Also: watch periods
📝 In Action
Los médicos tienen que hacer muchas guardias durante la residencia.
B2The doctors have to do many on-call shifts during their residency.
Las guardias nocturnas son las más pesadas.
B2The night shifts are the hardest.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "guardias" in Spanish:
guards→on-call duties→police officers→security personnel→shifts→watch periods→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: guardias
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'guardias' to mean 'shifts' or 'duty periods'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The root comes from the Germanic word *wardōn* meaning 'to watch' or 'to protect,' which entered Spanish through Gothic and Old French. It is one of many Spanish words that reflect this Germanic influence.
First recorded: 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
¿Por qué 'guardias' tiene dos significados tan diferentes?
Both meanings come from the core idea of 'watching' or 'protecting.' The word refers either to the people who do the watching (the guards) or the specific time period when that watching or duty takes place (the shifts).
If I want to talk about one male guard, what do I say?
You say 'el guardia'. Even though it ends in '-a', it uses the masculine article 'el' when referring to a male security person.