The Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) of Cuidar is used to give direct orders or instructions related to taking care of something or someone, for example Cuida a tu hermano menor. (Take care of your younger brother.)

Cuidar is a regular -ar verb, so its Imperative conjugations follow the typical pattern for this verb type.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Cuidar (to take care) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish):

Cuidar generally means to take care of, look after, or watch over something or someone, but has several different meanings in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands), some of which might surprise you.

To take care of or look after: This is the most common meaning. For example, ¡Cuida a tu hermanito mientras no estoy! (Take care of your little brother while I’m gone!)

To watch over or keep an eye on: For example, ¡Cuida la casa mientras salgo a comprar! (Watch over the house while I go out to buy something!)

To be careful or cautious: For example, ¡Cuida tus palabras cuando hables con él! (Be careful with your words when you talk to him!)

To protect or guard: For example, ¡Cuida tus pertenencias en lugares públicos! (Protect your belongings in public places!)

To maintain or preserve: For example, ¡Cuida tu salud comiendo sano! (Maintain your health by eating healthy!)

Colloquial usage (rude): It can also be used in a rude or aggressive way to tell someone to watch out or be careful, often with a threat implied. For example, ¡Cuida tu boca o te la cierro a golpes! (Watch your mouth or I’ll shut it with punches!)

Examples

Examples of Cuidar in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands)

¡Cuida tu salud! Es lo más importante. (Take care of your health! It’s the most important thing.)

Oye, cuida tus palabras cuando hables con los mayores. (Hey, watch your language when talking to elders.)

Antes de salir de viaje, cuidemos de hacer las maletas con tiempo. (Before going on a trip, let’s pack our bags in advance.)

En el trabajo, cuiden los detalles para evitar errores. (At work, pay attention to details to avoid mistakes.)

Amigo, cuida tu dinero y no lo gastes a lo tonto. (Friend, be careful with your money and don’t spend it foolishly.)

Para una buena relación, cuiden la comunicación y el respeto mutuo. (For a good relationship, nurture communication and mutual respect.)

¡Cuida tu postura! Una mala postura puede causarte dolores. (Mind your posture! Poor posture can cause you pain.)

Cuando manejes, cuida las señales de tránsito y respeta los límites de velocidad. (When driving, obey traffic signs and respect speed limits.)

En esta época de calor, cuidemos mantenernos hidratados. (In this hot weather, let’s stay hydrated.)

Si vas a hacer ejercicio, cuida de calentar y estirar primero. (If you’re going to exercise, be sure to warm up and stretch first.)

Padres, cuiden la educación de sus hijos desde pequeños. (Parents, nurture your children’s education from an early age.)

En las redes sociales, cuida lo que compartes y a quién le das acceso. (On social media, be careful what you share and who you give access to.)

Para tener éxito, cuidemos nuestros hábitos y disciplina diaria. (To be successful, let’s nurture our habits and daily discipline.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Cuidar (to take care) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Imperative mood is also known as the Command Form, Affirmative Command Mood, or Direct Command Form in English, and as Modo Imperativo, Imperativo Afirmativo, Mandatos Afirmativos, or Forma de Mandato in Spanish.