guardar
/ɡwaɾˈdaɾ/
To put away in Spanish is to say guardar. Wiktionary also lists arrecadar.
Meaning: to place out of the way (verb)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| guardar | /ɡwaɾˈdaɾ/ | |
| arrecadar | /arekadaɾ/ (from spelling rules) | Spain |
The verb guardar is used for putting things away in their proper place, such as clothes in a closet or food in a cupboard. It also carries the meaning of 'to keep' or 'to save' (e.g., keeping a secret or saving money).
Which one should you use?
The verb 'almacenar' is a formal way to convey 'put away' and literally translates to 'to store'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form arrecadar is a regional variant used in parts of Spain, though it is much less common than guardar for the sense of 'putting away'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡwaɾˈdaɾ/
Did you know?
- If a Spanish speaker tells you to guardar silencio, they are not asking you to put silence away, but rather to remain silent or keep quiet.
- While guardar means to put away, the word guardería refers to a daycare center. This is because the children are being 'kept' or looked after in a safe place.
- The phrase guardar las formas means to maintain appearances or behave with proper etiquette, regardless of how one actually feels.
Examples in context
- Por favor, guarde los documentos en el archivador.Please put away the documents in the filing cabinet.
- Guarde las tazas en el armario después de lavarlas.Put the cups away in the cupboard after washing them.
- Por favor, almacene los productos en los estantes correspondientes.Please put away the products on the respective shelves.
- Guarde la ropa sucia en el cesto de la ropa.Put the dirty clothes away in the laundry basket.
- Recoge tus juguetes antes de irte a jugar afuera.Put away your toys before going out to play.
- Recoge los platos y los cubiertos después de comer.Put away the dishes and cutlery after eating.
- Tienes que guardar los libros en la estantería.You have to put the books away on the shelf.
- Voy a guardar la ropa en el armario.I am going to put the clothes away in the closet.
- ¿Puedes guardar los juguetes en la caja?Can you put the toys away in the box?
Example conversation
A couple cleaning up the living room after playing a game.
- MaríaDaniel, ¿puedes guardar las cartas ahora?Daniel, can you put the cards away now?
- DanielSí, María, las voy a guardar ya.Yes, María, I'm going to put them away now.
- MaríaGracias, así la mesa estará limpia.Thanks, that way the table will be clean.
- DanielDe nada, yo guardo todo en un momento.You're welcome, I'll put everything away in a moment.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “put away” translations and entries guardar, 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.
