Ten cuidado
informal, tú
In Mexico "be careful" is Ten cuidado to a friend or child and Tenga cuidado to a stranger or elder. A quick warning is ¡Cuidado!
Meaning: warning to take care (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| Ten cuidado | informal, tú |
| Tenga cuidado | formal, usted |
| ¡Cuidado! | warning |
To a group Mexicans say Tengan cuidado, because they use ustedes rather than vosotros. For a friendly goodbye, Cuídate means "take care of yourself".
How does it change in a sentence?
These are commands built from tener cuidado, "to be careful". Add mucho for emphasis, as in ten mucho cuidado.
Did you know?
- Mexicans often end a phone call with cuídate, which is the friendly equivalent of "take care".
Examples in context
- Ten cuidado con el escalón.Be careful with the step.
- Tenga cuidado, el piso está mojado.Be careful, the floor is wet.
- Cuídate mucho, nos vemos pronto.Take care, see you soon.
Example conversation
Papá talks to his daughter Lucía before she crosses the street.
- PapáLucía, ten cuidado al cruzar.Lucía, be careful when crossing.
- LucíaSí, papá.Yes, Dad.
- PapáCuídate mucho.Take care.
