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"Guardar" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "to put away", and "a" is a preposition which is often translated as "to". Learn more about the difference between "guardar" and "a" below.
guardar(
gwahr
-
dahr
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to place)
2. (to reserve)
b. to keep
Vendré a pagar el cuadro mañana. ¿Puedes guardármelo hasta entonces?I'll be back to pay for the painting tomorrow. Can you keep it for me until then?
c. to hold
¿Me guardas el lugar en la fila? Se me olvidó la leche.Will you hold my place in line? I forgot the milk.
d. to put aside
Dile a tu maestra que nos guarde cinco boletos para la obra navideña.Tell your teacher to put aside five tickets for the Christmas play for us.
b. to hang on to
Roberto todavía guarda un mechón de su primer corte de cabello.Roberto is still hanging on to a lock from his first haircut.
c. to store
Guardo agua y comida extra para el caso de una emergencia.I store extra food and water in case there's an emergency.
4. (computing)
b. to have
Guardo bonitos recuerdos de los veranos en el lago con toda la familia.I have nice memories of summers at the lake with the whole family.
a. to guard
Hay seis policías que guardan la entrada del palacio de justicia.There are six police officers guarding the entrance to the courthouse.
b. to protect
Los muros que guardan esta torre son romanos.The walls that protect this tower are Roman.
7. (to comply)
a. to observe
Mi abuela siempre guardaba el sábado como un día sagrado.My grandmother always kept the Sabbath as a holy day.
guardarse
A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
9. (to place)
10. (to retain)
11. (to assure)
a. to be careful not to
Guárdense de no ir por esas calles de noche.Be careful not to walk down those streets at night.
b. to make sure not to
Guárdate de no olvidar tu chamarra cuando sales en el frío.Make sure you don't forget your jacket when you go out in the cold.
a, la a(
ah
)A preposition is a word that indicates the relationship between a noun and another word (e.g., He ran through the door.).
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Podía respirar a duras penas.He was hardly able to breathe.
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
¡A fregar los platos!Go do the dishes!
¡A la cama!Off to bed!
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Me encantaría ganar dinero a espuertas.I would love to earn lots of money.
Llovía a cántaros.It was pouring.
A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
An abbreviation is the shortened form of a word or group of words (e.g., "UFO" = "unidentified flying object"; "p." = "page").
a. A
El circuito transporta una corriente de 1 A.The circuit carries a current of 1 A.
La intensidad de la corriente eléctrica se mide en A.The intensity of an electric current is measured in A.
