Guardé el embalaje.

to keep

Breakdown of Guardé el embalaje.

• el embalaje: the packaging

Questions & Answers about Guardé el embalaje.

What does guardé mean here, and why isn’t it salvé?

Here, guardé comes from guardar, which usually means to keep, to store, or to put away.

So Guardé el embalaje means something like:

• I kept the packaging
• I put the packaging away
• I saved the packaging

In Spanish, guardar is often used where English might say keep or save.

Salvar usually means to save in the sense of rescue or save from danger, not save/keep an object for later.

Examples:

• Guardé la caja. = I kept the box.
• Salvé al niño. = I saved the child.

Why does guardé have an accent?

The accent in guardé shows both pronunciation and meaning.

• guardé = I kept / I stored (first person singular, preterite)
• guarde = a different form, such as a present subjunctive or formal command

The accent tells you the stress goes on the last syllable:

• guar-DÉ

This is very common in the yo form of regular -ar verbs in the preterite:

• hablé = I spoke
• miré = I looked
• guardé = I kept

What tense is guardé?