Spanish · Greetings & Essentials
"Be careful!" in Spanish: ¡cuidado!
¡cuidado!
Be careful! in Spanish is ¡cuidado! Cuidado is a quick warning for steps, traffic, or hot pans. Ten cuidado is a fuller tú form.
Wet floor
¡Cuidado! El piso está mojado.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce ¡cuidado!
Say it
kwee-DAH-doh
/kwiˈðaðo/
kwee-DAH-doh. Stress DAH. The ui is like wee.
"Be careful!" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ¡cuidado! | be careful! / watch out! Instant warning. | Instant warning. |
| ten cuidado | be careful Fuller tú advice. | Fuller tú advice. |
| tenga cuidado | be careful (formal) With usted. | With usted. |
| tengan cuidado | be careful (plural) To a group (ustedes). | To a group (ustedes). |
How to use ¡cuidado! in real life
- 1Wet floor
¡Cuidado! El piso está mojado.
Be careful! The floor is wet.
Immediate hazard.
- 2Crossing the street
Cuidado con el carro.
Watch out for the car.
Cuidado con…
- 3Hiking advice
Ten cuidado en esas rocas.
Be careful on those rocks.
Fuller ten cuidado.
Mistakes English speakers make with ¡cuidado!
Incorrect: ¡Cuidadoso!
Correct: ¡Cuidado!
The warning noun/interjection is cuidado, not cuidadoso.
Incorrect: Be careful! (in Spanish speech).
Correct: ¡Cuidado!
Use Spanish cuidado for a quick warning.
Good to know
Good to know¡Cuidado! is short enough to shout. Signs often say piso mojado next to a cuidado warning in shops and transit.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Helping a friend with a heavy box on stairs
ChatPal
¡Cuidado! El último escalón es alto.
Be careful! The last step is high.
You
Gracias. ¡Cuidado tú con la puerta!
Thanks. Be careful with the door yourself!
ChatPal
Ya la abro.
I'll open it now.
You
Listo, llegamos.
Done, we made it.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Be careful!" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Be careful!" in Spanish
How do you say be careful in Spanish?
¡Cuidado!
Cuidado vs ten cuidado?
Cuidado is the snap warning; ten cuidado is fuller advice.
Is cuidado masculine?
Yes as a noun: el cuidado; as a shout it stays cuidado.
Formal warning?
Tenga cuidado for usted.
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