Golpe

Golpe is a noun used in Spanish and Portuguese with several related meanings centered on impact and action. The primary sense is a blow or strike delivered with force, applicable to a physical hit on a person or object. The term can also be used figuratively to denote a decisive or sudden action, such as a setback or a dramatic event that alters a situation.

In political discourse, golpe denotes a sudden seizure of power, typically by force or irregular means. The phrase golpe de estado (coup d'état) is used to describe such events and is often analyzed in studies of constitutional law, governance, and history. The term carries connotations of abrupt disruption rather than orderly transition.

In musical and performing arts contexts, golpe refers to a percussion stroke. In flamenco, a golpe is the act of tapping or striking the guitar’s surface, or the protective golpeador, to produce a rhythmic beat that accompanies the dancing and singing. The technique is performed with the fingernails or the edge of the fingers and is an integral element of the style’s percussive texture.

Common expressions use golpe in both literal and figurative senses, such as golpe de suerte (a stroke of luck) or golpes to describe blows in sports or daily life. The word travels across Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking regions, with analogous uses and occasional loanwords in other languages to describe strikes, shocks, or political upheavals.

Etymology generally traces golpe to Spanish and Portuguese roots meaning a strike or blow, reflecting its core sense of impact and sudden action.