estar de guardia
to be on guard
The Spanish phrase 'estar de guardia' is translated in English as 'to be on guard'. This is generally used to refer to someone who is staying alert and vigilant, typically in a protective role or for a duty. It could be a police officer on duty or a soldier on watch, but it can also be used in more everyday contexts like a night watchman at a building or even metaphorically to denote remaining vigilant in uncertain situations.
Example sentences using: estar de guardia
Mi padre debe estar de guardia esta noche en el hospital.
My father has to be on guard tonight at the hospital.
In this sentence, 'estar de guardia' is used to express the requirement or duty of someone, in this case, the speaker's father, to be on alert or watch, typically in the context of a professional environment such as the hospital.
Durante la guerra, todos los soldados tienen que estar de guardia.
During the war, all soldiers have to be on guard.
Here, 'estar de guardia' is used to express the obligation of soldiers to be vigilant or alert in a dangerous or possibly hostile context, exemplified here as a state of war.
Es importante estar de guardia cuando trabajas en un laboratorio.
It's important to be on guard when you work in a lab.
In this instance, 'estar de guardia' conveys the necessary state of alertness or preparedness when performing tasks, specifically in a potentially hazardous environment such as a laboratory.