conduce con cuidado
/konduθe kon kwidado/from spelling rules
The English phrase "drive safely" is translated into Spanish as conduce con cuidado.
This phrase is used to tell someone to be cautious while operating a vehicle.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase conduce con cuidado literally translates to "drive with care".
Which one should you use?
You might also use ve con cuidado, which means "go carefully". This is a common alternative used when someone is departing, implying they should drive or travel safely.
How does it change in a sentence?
When speaking to someone you address as usted (formal/polite), use conduzca con cuidado instead of conduce con cuidado. If you are telling more than one person to drive safely, use conduzcan con cuidado.
Did you know?
- The word cuidado is so central to safety that Spanish speakers often shout it as a standalone warning, similar to how an English speaker would yell 'Watch out!'
- The word cuidado is related to the Latin cōgitātus, which is the root of the English word 'cogitate' meaning to think deeply.
- While conduce con cuidado is grammatically correct, many people in Latin America prefer using the verb manejar (to maneuver/handle) to say maneja con cuidado.
Examples in context
- De acuerdo. Conduce con cuidado.Okay. Drive safely.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase conduce con cuidado.Tatoeba #3216182 by marcelostockle, translation #319998 by Dreamk33
- Conduce con cuidado, está lloviendo mucho.Drive safely, it is raining a lot.
- Por favor, conduce con cuidado en la carretera.Please, drive safely on the highway.
Example conversation
María is seeing Javier off as he leaves for a road trip.
- María¡Buen viaje, Javier!Have a good trip, Javier!
- JavierMuchas gracias, María.Thank you very much, María.
- MaríaConduce con cuidado, por favor.Drive safely, please.
- JavierLo haré, no te preocupes.I will, don't worry.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries con, cuidado, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
