garde
keep
hold on to
look after
childcare / childcare arrangement
custody (legal)
on-call duty; watch / shift (e.g., in a hospital, police)
Il a obtenu la garde des enfants.
He was awarded custody of the children.
Notes
GENERAL INFO
Garde can be a feminine noun meaning "guard," "custody," "care," or "watch" (e.g., "la garde"). It is also the present tense conjugation for "je," "tu," and "il/elle/on" of the verb "garder" (to keep, to guard).
USAGE
As a noun: "prendre garde" (to be careful), "garde d'enfants" (childcare), "garde à vue" (police custody). As a verb: "Je garde ton secret" (I'll keep your secret), "Il garde la maison" (He guards the house).
TRAPS
Carefully distinguish between "la garde" (the feminine noun) and "garde" as a verb form. The noun is always feminine, while the verb changes meaning based on the subject.
