Word
Guardo la cartera debajo de la almohada por si acaso.
Meaning
I keep the wallet under the pillow just in case.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Breakdown of Guardo la cartera debajo de la almohada por si acaso.
yo
I
de
of
la almohada
the pillow
.
period (punctuation mark)
Questions & Answers about Guardo la cartera debajo de la almohada por si acaso.
Why is it guardo and not estoy guardando?
Guardo is the present simple and can describe a habit, a general practice, or what you do in a situation, without focusing on “right now.”
- Guardo la cartera... = I keep / I put my wallet... (as a usual precaution, or as a general statement)
- Estoy guardando la cartera... = I’m putting my wallet away (right now) (emphasizes an action in progress)
Does guardar mean “to keep” or “to put away”?
Both, depending on context. Guardar covers:
- to keep/store: Guardo fotos en el móvil. (I keep/store photos on my phone.)
- to put away: Guardo la ropa en el armario. (I put the clothes away in the closet.)
In your sentence it can naturally sound like either I keep or I put the wallet under the pillow (often implying as a precaution).
Why is it la cartera and not mi cartera?
Spanish often uses the definite article (el/la/los/las) with personal belongings when it’s obvious whose it is.
So Guardo la cartera... commonly implies my wallet (or the relevant wallet in context).
You can say mi cartera for emphasis/contrast: Guardo mi cartera, no la tuya. (I keep my wallet, not yours.)
In Spain, what does cartera usually mean—wallet or handbag?