Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| guarda | /ˈɡwaɾda/ | feminine, masculine |
| guardia | /ˈɡwaɾdja/ | feminine, masculine |
| shafo | /safo/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| vigilante | /bixiˈlante/ | feminine, masculine |
| celador | /θelaˈdoɾ/ /selaˈdoɾ/ |
masculine |
| vigía | /biˈxia/ | feminine, masculine |
In Spanish, the term used for a guard depends on whether you are referring to a person protecting something, a person performing surveillance or a specific role like a lookout. General terms for a person or thing that protects include guardia and guarda. If you want to express the action of keeping watch over or protecting something from an offence, you can use the verbs vigilar, custodiar, celar or guardar.
Which one should you use?
While guardia is a general term for a guard, vigilante is specifically used to refer to a security guard or someone performing surveillance duties. If you mean a lookout, someone stationed to watch for approaching danger or ships, use vigía. For an attendant or guard in an institutional setting like a hospital, use celador. The term shafo is also a masculine form for guard.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, such as Argentina and Uruguay, the term celador is used to refer to a guard in specific contexts like hospitals or schools.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms guarda and guardia can be used as both masculine and feminine nouns. The term vigía is also both masculine and feminine. The term shafo is strictly masculine. The term celador is masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡwaɾdja/
Did you know?
- In Argentina, vigilante is not just a type of guard but also a popular tubular pastry. These were named by anarchist bakers as a political jab at the shape of police batons.
- While guardia is the most common way to say 'guard', using it can sometimes imply a specific shift or watch, such as la guardia meaning 'the night watch'.
- The word vigilante shares a root with the Latin word vigilans, which means 'awake' or 'alert'. This highlights the core duty of a guard: to stay awake and watchful.
Examples in context
- No bajes la guardia.Don't let your guard down.This sentence is useful for learning the idiom of not letting one's guardia down.Tatoeba #1469577 by marcelostockle, translation #1123492 by Scott
- Hay un guardia afuera.A guard is outside.Tatoeba #2319955 by marcelostockle, translation #2280257 by CK
- ¿Podré burlar la guardia?Can I get by the guard?Tatoeba #2254062 by hayastan, translation #2254060 by _undertoad
- Por favor, llame al vigilantePlease call the guard
- Los custodios del museo son muy profesionalesThe museum guards are very professional
- Los vigías están atentos a cualquier intrusoThe lookouts are attentive to any intruder
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Daniel are entering a museum.
- SofíaMira, el guardia está revisando las bolsas.Look, the guard is checking the bags.
- DanielSí, parece muy serio hoy.Yes, he seems very serious today.
- Sofía¿Crees que el guardia nos deje pasar?Do you think the guard will let us in?
- DanielClaro, solo tenemos que mostrar los boletos.Of course, we just have to show the tickets.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “guard” translations and entries guarda, guardia, shafo, vigilante, celador, vigía, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries guarda, guardia, vigilante, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
