Guardar is a verb in Spanish.
The phonetic transcription of guardar in the International Phonetic Alphabet is /ɡwarˈðaɾ/.
Guardar generally means to keep or store something in a safe place. It is used in both everyday contexts (like keeping or saving objects) and in more formal contexts (such as legal matters concerning custody of items or information). It has a fairly high frequency of use in both oral and written Spanish, but it is often encountered in instructions, legal documentation, and everyday conversation.
Voy a guardar los documentos importantes en la caja fuerte.
I am going to store the important documents in the safe.
Es mejor guardar el dinero en el banco.
It is better to keep the money in the bank.
Ella siempre guarda sus secretos para sí misma.
She always keeps her secrets to herself.
Guardar is frequently used in a variety of idiomatic expressions in Spanish. Here are some examples:
Guardar las apariencias
To keep up appearances.
(Es difícil guardar las apariencias cuando todo va mal.)
It is difficult to keep up appearances when everything is going wrong.
Guardar silencio
To remain silent.
(Decidí guardar silencio durante la reunión.)
I decided to remain silent during the meeting.
No guardar rencor
To hold no grudges.
(Es importante no guardar rencor después de una pelea.)
It is important to hold no grudges after a fight.
Guardar un secreto
To keep a secret.
(Te prometo que guardaré el secreto.)
I promise that I will keep the secret.
Guardar una distancia
To maintain a distance.
(En esta situación es mejor guardar una distancia.)
In this situation, it is better to maintain a distance.
The verb guardar comes from the Latin verb guardare, which means "to watch over." The evolution of the word reflects themes of protection, preservation, and keeping items safe.
In summary, guardar is a versatile verb used in various contexts, with rich meanings and several idiomatic expressions that showcase its importance in daily communication in Spanish.