Inklingo
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guardias

/gwar-dyahs/

guards

Two figures in simple uniforms standing rigidly on either side of a closed wooden gate, symbolizing protection.

Guards protecting an entrance.

guardias(Noun)

m/f (plural)A2

guards

?

people who protect a place

,

security personnel

?

formal reference to the staff

Also:

police officers

?

often used for civil guards or low-ranking police

📝 In Action

Los guardias revisaron todas las bolsas antes de entrar al estadio.

A2

The guards checked all the bags before entering the stadium.

Las guardias de seguridad se turnaron para vigilar la entrada.

B1

The female security personnel took turns watching the entrance.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • vigilantes (watchmen)
  • agentes (agents)

Common Collocations

  • guardias de seguridad – security guards
  • cambio de guardias – changing of the guard

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Note: People

The singular form for a male guard is 'el guardia'. For a female guard, it's 'la guardia'. 'Guardias' is the plural for both.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Singular/Plural

Mistake: "Using 'un guardia' when referring to multiple people."

Correction: Use 'los guardias' for multiple people, which is the word we are defining here.

⭐ Usage Tips

General Term

Use 'guardias' as a polite and neutral way to refer to any person responsible for security or surveillance.

A figure sitting at a post, with the background visually split between bright daylight and dark night, representing a long work shift.

A visual representation of a long work shift covering both day and night.

guardias(Noun)

f (plural)B2

shifts

?

periods of duty, usually long or overnight

,

on-call duties

?

medical or emergency services

Also:

watch periods

?

military or maritime context

📝 In Action

Los médicos tienen que hacer muchas guardias durante la residencia.

B2

The doctors have to do many on-call shifts during their residency.

Las guardias nocturnas son las más pesadas.

B2

The night shifts are the hardest.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • turnos (turns/shifts)
  • servicio (service/duty)

Common Collocations

  • hacer guardias – to be on duty/to do shifts
  • guardias de 24 horas – 24-hour shifts

💡 Grammar Points

Gender Note: Time

When referring to the shift or period of duty, the singular form is 'la guardia' (feminine), making the plural 'las guardias'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using 'Turnos' Instead

Mistake: "Sometimes learners use 'turnos' for long medical duties."

Correction: While 'turnos' is correct for regular shifts, 'guardias' specifically implies a demanding, often overnight or continuous, duty period.

⭐ Usage Tips

Context is Key

If you are talking about doctors, nurses, or police, 'guardias' almost always means 'shifts' or 'on-call periods'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: guardias

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence uses 'guardias' to mean 'shifts' or 'duty periods'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

guardia(guard (person or shift)) - noun
guardar(to guard/to keep) - verb
guardería(daycare / nursery) - noun

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.