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"Guardia" is a noun which is often translated as "guard", and "policía" is a noun which is often translated as "police". Learn more about the difference between "guardia" and "policía" below.
el guardia, la guardia(
gwahr
-
dyah
)This means that the noun can be masculine or feminine, depending on the gender of the noun it refers to (e.g., el doctor, la doctora).
1. (military)
a. guard
Los guardias del castillo le impidieron llegar a los aposentos del rey.The castle guards prevented him from reaching the king's rooms.
a. police officer
Había una pareja de guardias patrullando la calle.There were two police officers patrolling the street.
b. policeman (masculine)
Nos perdimos y le preguntamos a un guardia.We got lost and asked a policeman for directions.
c. policewoman (feminine)
Una guardia acompañó a la chica a la comisaría y le tomó declaración.A policewoman accompanied the girl to the police station and took her statement.
A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
a. guard
Los paparazzi montan guardia constantemente en la puerta de su casa.The paparazzi constantly stand guard outside their house.
b. guard duty (soldier)
Hay siempre dos soldados de guardia en la entrada del cuartel.There are always two soldiers on guard duty at the barracks gate.
c. watch (ship officer)
El oficial de guardia en el puente del barco vio la bengala y dio la alarma.The officer on watch on the bridge of the ship saw the flare and called the alarm.
a. shift (doctor or employee)
Esta semana tengo las guardias de día.This week my shifts are during the day.
5. (sports)
6. (attention)
a. guard
Con esa gente no puedes bajar nunca la guardia.You can never lower your guard with those people.
7. (corps)
a. guard
Vimos el cambio de guardia de la reina en el Palacio de Buckingham.We saw the changing of the queen's guard at Buckingham Palace.
a. emergency room
Marisa fue llevada de urgencia a la guardia con un fuerte dolor en el pecho.Marisa was rushed to the emergency room with a strong chest pain.
la policía, el policía(
poh
-
lee
-
see
-
ah
)A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
1. (body)
a. police
Alguien llamó a la policía desde el lugar del secuestro.Someone called the police from the place where the kidnapping occurred.
b. cops (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Cuando llegó la policía, los camorristas se dispersaron en todas direcciones.When the cops arrived, the rioters dispersed in all directions.
This means that the noun can be masculine or feminine, depending on the gender of the noun it refers to (e.g., el doctor, la doctora).
2. (profession)
b. policeman (masculine)
A word or phrase that is masculine (e.g., el libro).
Un policía vigila esta calle día y noche.A policeman guards this street day and night.
c. policewoman (feminine)
A word or phrase that is feminine (e.g., la manzana).
Ella es policía del departamento antidroga.She is a policewoman in the narcotics department.
d. cop (colloquial)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Un policía se nos acercó y nos pidió la identificación.A cop came up to us and asked us for our IDs.
