cuidar

Asturian

Alternative forms

• cudiar
• cuidiar (Allande)
• coidar (archaic)

Etymology

Inherited from Latin cogitāre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kwiˈdaɾ/ [kwiˈð̞aɾ]
• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: cui‧dar

Verb

cuidar (first-person singular indicative present cuido, past participle cuidáu)

1. to think, believe

   Synonyms: pensar, cuntar

   Cuida que van a dexalu solu

   He thinks they are going to leave him alone

   Cuido que ye verdá

   I think it's true

   • 1842, José Napoleón Acebal Morán, Los Trataos:

     Señor, fó que yo cudié que era una chancia el regalu

     Sir, it was me who thought the gift was a joke

   • 1861, Evanxeliu según San Marcos:

     Non cuidéis que yo vieni desfacer la llei, nin los profetas: non vieni desfacélos, sinon dáyos complimientu:

     Do not think that I came to undo the Law, nor the prophets: I did not come to undo them, but to make sure they are followed:

2. to lie in wait

   Cuidarélu a la salida’l trabayu pa da-y el recáu

   I waited for him by his job's exit to give him the task

3. to spy

   Synonym: esclucar

4. to be careful [with, using something, to conserve it for example] (often with por)

   Synonym: mirar

   Dempués de la guerra cuidaron muncho pol aceite

   After the war, they took great care [to not waste] oil

5. to take care (of someone, something)

   Synonym: curiar

6. (reflexive) to make an effort
7. (reflexive) to give oneself a good life

Conjugation

Conjugation of cuidar

infinitive		cuidar
gerund		cuidando
past participle		m cuidáu, f cuidada, n cuidao, m pl cuidaos, f pl cuidaes
person		first singular yo	second singular tu	third singular él/elli	first plural nosotros/nós	second plural vosotros/vós	third plural ellos
indicative	present	cuido	cuides	cuida	cuidamos	cuidáis	cuiden
	imperfect	cuidaba	cuidabes	cuidaba	cuidábemos, cuidábamos	cuidabeis, cuidabais	cuidaben
	preterite	cuidé	cuidasti, cuidesti	cuidó	cuidemos	cuidastis, cuidestis	cuidaron
	pluperfect	cuidare, cuidara	cuidares, cuidaras	cuidare, cuidara	cuidáremos, cuidáramos	cuidareis, cuidarais	cuidaren, cuidaran
	future	cuidaré	cuidarás	cuidará	cuidaremos	cuidaréis	cuidarán
	conditional	cuidaría	cuidaríes	cuidaría	cuidaríemos, cuidaríamos	cuidaríeis, cuidaríais	cuidaríen
subjunctive	present	cuide	cuides, cuidas	cuide	cuidemos	cuidéis	cuiden, cuidan
	imperfect	cuidare, cuidara	cuidares, cuidaras	cuidare, cuidara	cuidáremos, cuidáramos	cuidareis, cuidarais	cuidaren, cuidaran
imperative		—	cuida	—	—	cuidái	—

Derived terms

• cuida
• cuidanza
• cuidar el güevu
• cuidar el pelleyu
• cuidar la pelleya
• cuidatible
• cuidosu
• cuidu
• cuidáu
• cuidón
• descuidar

Further reading

• García Arias, Xosé Lluis (2002–2004), “cuidar”, in Diccionario general de la lengua asturiana [General Dictionary of the Asturian Language] (overall work in Spanish), Editorial Prensa Asturiana, →ISBN
• “cuidar”, in Diccionariu de la llingua asturiana [Dictionary of the Asturian Language] (in Asturian), 1st edition, Academy of the Asturian Language [Asturian: Academia de la Llingua Asturiana], 2000, →ISBN

Catalan

Etymology

Inherited from Latin cogitāre. Compare Old Occitan cuidar, Middle French cuider, Spanish cuidar. Doublet of cogitar, a borrowing from Latin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Balearic, Central, Northwestern) [kujˈða]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [kujˈðaɾ]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -a(ɾ)

Verb

cuidar (first-person singular present cuido, first-person singular preterite cuidí, past participle cuidat)

1. to think, to believe
2. to be about to do something, especially having an accident
3. to care for, to take care of

Conjugation

    Central Catalan conjugation of cuidar (first conjugation)

infinitive			cuidar
gerund			cuidant
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		cuidat		cuidada
		plural		cuidats		cuidades
person		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	cuido	cuides	cuida	cuidem	cuideu	cuiden
	imperfect	cuidava	cuidaves	cuidava	cuidàvem	cuidàveu	cuidaven
	future	cuidaré	cuidaràs	cuidarà	cuidarem	cuidareu	cuidaran
	preterite	cuidí	cuidares	cuidà	cuidàrem	cuidàreu	cuidaren
	conditional	cuidaria	cuidaries	cuidaria	cuidaríem	cuidaríeu	cuidarien
subjunctive		jo	tu	ell/ella vostè	nosaltres nós	vosaltres vós	ells/elles vostès
	present	cuidi	cuidis	cuidi	cuidem	cuideu	cuidin
	imperfect	cuidés	cuidessis	cuidés	cuidéssim	cuidéssiu	cuidessin
imperative		—	tu	vostè	nosaltres	vosaltres vós	vostès
	affirmative	—	cuida	cuidi	cuidem	cuideu	cuidin
	negative (no)	—	no cuidis	no cuidi	no cuidem	no cuideu	no cuidin

Derived terms

• cuidador

Further reading

• “cuidar”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “cuidar”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan)

Old Occitan

Etymology

From Latin cogitāre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kyjˈdaɾ/

Verb

cuidar

1. to believe
2. to think

Descendants

• Occitan: coidar

Old Spanish

Alternative forms

• cudar, cuedar, cueidar, cuydar, cueydar

Etymology

From earlier *coidar, from Latin cōgitāre (“to think”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkui̯ˈdaɾ/

Verb

cuidar

1. (transitive) to think, believe [12th c.]
2. (transitive) to look after, take care of [14th c.]

Descendants

• Ladino: kuidar / קואידאר
• Spanish: cuidar

Further reading

• “cuidar(se)”, in Diccionario del español medieval electrónico [Electronic Dictionary of Medieval Spanish] (in Spanish, English, and German), Rostock University and Paderborn University, 2022–present

Portuguese

Alternative forms

• cuydar (obsolete)

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese cuidar, from Latin cōgitāre (“to think, to consider”), from co- + agitō (“to agitate”). Doublet of cogitar, a borrowing.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /kujˈda(ʁ)/ [kuɪ̯ˈda(h)]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /kujˈda(ʁ)/ [kuɪ̯ˈda(h)]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /kujˈda(ɾ)/ [kuɪ̯ˈda(ɾ)]
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /kujˈda(ʁ)/ [kuɪ̯ˈda(χ)]
  • (Caipira) IPA^(key): /kujˈda(ɻ)/ [kuɪ̯ˈda(ɻ)]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /kujˈdaɾ/ [kujˈðaɾ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /kujˈdaɾ/ [kujˈðaɾ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /kujˈda.ɾi/

• Audio (Portugal (Porto)):

  (file)

• Audio (Portugal):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: cui‧dar

Verb

cuidar (first-person singular present cuido, first-person singular preterite cuidei, past participle cuidado)

1. (transitive) to take care (of); to look after (to provide care for) [with de]

   A mãe cuida das crianças. ― The mother tends the children.

2. (intransitive) to take care; to be careful
3. (transitive) to take care (of); to deal (with); to handle [with de]

   Não te preocupes, cuidarei deste problema. ― Don’t worry, I’ll take care of this problem.

4. (transitive) to mind (to concern oneself with, to pay attention to) [with de]

   Cuida da tua vida! ― Mind your own business! (literally, “Mind your life!”)

5. (transitive, archaic, dialectal) to think, to suppose to, to believe [with que]
6. (reflexive) to take care (be cautious, careful)
7. (reflexive, imperative) take care (used as a farewell)

Conjugation

    Conjugation of cuidar (See Appendix:Portuguese verbs)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (tu)	Third-person (ele / ela / você)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / vocês)
Infinitive
Impersonal	cuidar
Personal	cuidar	cuidares	cuidar	cuidarmos	cuidardes	cuidarem
Gerund
	cuidando
Past participle
Masculine	cuidado			cuidados
Feminine	cuidada			cuidadas
Indicative
Present	cuido	cuidas	cuida	cuidamos	cuidais	cuidam
Imperfect	cuidava	cuidavas	cuidava	cuidávamos	cuidáveis	cuidavam
Preterite	cuidei	cuidaste	cuidou	cuidamos1, cuidámos2	cuidastes	cuidaram
Pluperfect	cuidara	cuidaras	cuidara	cuidáramos	cuidáreis	cuidaram
Future	cuidarei	cuidarás	cuidará	cuidaremos	cuidareis	cuidarão
Conditional	cuidaria	cuidarias	cuidaria	cuidaríamos	cuidaríeis	cuidariam
Subjunctive
Present	cuide	cuides	cuide	cuidemos	cuideis	cuidem
Imperfect	cuidasse	cuidasses	cuidasse	cuidássemos	cuidásseis	cuidassem
Future	cuidar	cuidares	cuidar	cuidarmos	cuidardes	cuidarem
Imperative
Affirmative		cuida	cuide	cuidemos	cuidai	cuidem
Negative (não)		não cuides	não cuide	não cuidemos	não cuideis	não cuidem

¹Brazilian Portuguese.
²European Portuguese.

Related terms

• cogitar
• cuidação
• cuidadeira
• cuidado
• cuidador
• cuidadosamente
• cuidadoso
• cuidança

Further reading

• “cuidar”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “cuidar”, in Dicionário Infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2026
• “cuidar”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Spanish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *ḱe?

Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm

Proto-Italic *kom

Proto-Italic *kom-

Latin con-

Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-

Proto-Indo-European *-eti

Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti

Proto-Italic *agō

Latin agō

Proto-Indo-European *-tós

Proto-Italic *-tos

Latin -tus

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂

Proto-Indo-European *-yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti

Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu.

Proto-Italic *-ājō

Proto-Italic *-āō

Latin -ō

Latin -tō

Latin -itō

Latin agitō

Latin cōgitō

Old Spanish *coidar

Old Spanish cuidar

Spanish cuidar

Inherited from Old Spanish cuidar (“to think; to take care of”), from Latin cogitāre (“to think”).

Doublet of cogitar, a learned borrowing from Latin, whence also English cogitate.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kwiˈdaɾ/ [kwiˈð̞aɾ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɾ
• Syllabification: cui‧dar

Verb

cuidar (first-person singular present cuido, first-person singular preterite cuidé, past participle cuidado)

1. (ambitransitive) to look after, take care of (e.g. a house, a person) [transitive or with de ‘of’]

   La canguro está cuidando de mi hija.

   The babysitter is looking after my daughter.

2. (transitive) to mind, watch, pay attention to, be mindful of

   Cuide su lenguaje.

   Watch your language.

3. (reflexive) to look after oneself, take care

   cuídate ― take care

4. (reflexive) to be careful of, watch out for [with de (+ infinitive) ‘of’]

   Cuídate de no contar mi secreto.

   Be careful not to spread my secret.

5. (transitive, Costa Rica, rustic) to feed (an animal)

Conjugation

    Conjugation of cuidar (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			cuidar
gerund			cuidando
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		cuidado		cuidada
		plural		cuidados		cuidadas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	cuido	cuidastú cuidásvos	cuida	cuidamos	cuidáis	cuidan
	imperfect	cuidaba	cuidabas	cuidaba	cuidábamos	cuidabais	cuidaban
	preterite	cuidé	cuidaste	cuidó	cuidamos	cuidasteis	cuidaron
	future	cuidaré	cuidarás	cuidará	cuidaremos	cuidaréis	cuidarán
	conditional	cuidaría	cuidarías	cuidaría	cuidaríamos	cuidaríais	cuidarían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	cuide	cuidestú cuidésvos2	cuide	cuidemos	cuidéis	cuiden
	imperfect (ra)	cuidara	cuidaras	cuidara	cuidáramos	cuidarais	cuidaran
	imperfect (se)	cuidase	cuidases	cuidase	cuidásemos	cuidaseis	cuidasen
	future1	cuidare	cuidares	cuidare	cuidáremos	cuidareis	cuidaren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		cuidatú cuidávos	cuide	cuidemos	cuidad	cuiden
	negative		no cuides	no cuide	no cuidemos	no cuidéis	no cuiden

¹Rare; now chiefly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tuteo-form for the present subjunctive.

    Selected combined forms of cuidar

These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.

		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
with infinitive cuidar	dative	cuidarme	cuidarte	cuidarle, cuidarse	cuidarnos	cuidaros	cuidarles, cuidarse
	accusative	cuidarme	cuidarte	cuidarlo, cuidarla, cuidarse	cuidarnos	cuidaros	cuidarlos, cuidarlas, cuidarse
with gerund cuidando	dative	cuidándome	cuidándote	cuidándole, cuidándose	cuidándonos	cuidándoos	cuidándoles, cuidándose
	accusative	cuidándome	cuidándote	cuidándolo, cuidándola, cuidándose	cuidándonos	cuidándoos	cuidándolos, cuidándolas, cuidándose
with informal second-person singular tuteo imperative cuida	dative	cuídame	cuídate	cuídale	cuídanos	not used	cuídales
	accusative	cuídame	cuídate	cuídalo, cuídala	cuídanos	not used	cuídalos, cuídalas
with informal second-person singular voseo imperative cuidá	dative	cuidame	cuidate	cuidale	cuidanos	not used	cuidales
	accusative	cuidame	cuidate	cuidalo, cuidala	cuidanos	not used	cuidalos, cuidalas
with formal second-person singular imperative cuide	dative	cuídeme	not used	cuídele, cuídese	cuídenos	not used	cuídeles
	accusative	cuídeme	not used	cuídelo, cuídela, cuídese	cuídenos	not used	cuídelos, cuídelas
with first-person plural imperative cuidemos	dative	not used	cuidémoste	cuidémosle	cuidémonos	cuidémoos	cuidémosles
	accusative	not used	cuidémoste	cuidémoslo, cuidémosla	cuidémonos	cuidémoos	cuidémoslos, cuidémoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative cuidad	dative	cuidadme	not used	cuidadle	cuidadnos	cuidaos	cuidadles
	accusative	cuidadme	not used	cuidadlo, cuidadla	cuidadnos	cuidaos	cuidadlos, cuidadlas
with formal second-person plural imperative cuiden	dative	cuídenme	not used	cuídenle	cuídennos	not used	cuídenles, cuídense
	accusative	cuídenme	not used	cuídenlo, cuídenla	cuídennos	not used	cuídenlos, cuídenlas, cuídense

    Conjugation of cuidarse (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			cuidarse
gerund			cuidándose
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		cuidado		cuidada
		plural		cuidados		cuidadas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
personal non-finite		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	infinitive	cuidarme	cuidarte	cuidarse	cuidarnos	cuidaros	cuidarse
	gerund	cuidándome	cuidándote	cuidándose	cuidándonos	cuidándoos	cuidándose
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	me cuido	te cuidastú te cuidásvos	se cuida	nos cuidamos	os cuidáis	se cuidan
	imperfect	me cuidaba	te cuidabas	se cuidaba	nos cuidábamos	os cuidabais	se cuidaban
	preterite	me cuidé	te cuidaste	se cuidó	nos cuidamos	os cuidasteis	se cuidaron
	future	me cuidaré	te cuidarás	se cuidará	nos cuidaremos	os cuidaréis	se cuidarán
	conditional	me cuidaría	te cuidarías	se cuidaría	nos cuidaríamos	os cuidaríais	se cuidarían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	me cuide	te cuidestú te cuidésvos2	se cuide	nos cuidemos	os cuidéis	se cuiden
	imperfect (ra)	me cuidara	te cuidaras	se cuidara	nos cuidáramos	os cuidarais	se cuidaran
	imperfect (se)	me cuidase	te cuidases	se cuidase	nos cuidásemos	os cuidaseis	se cuidasen
	future1	me cuidare	te cuidares	se cuidare	nos cuidáremos	os cuidareis	se cuidaren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		cuídatetú cuidatevos	cuídese	cuidémonos	cuidaos	cuídense
	negative		no te cuides	no se cuide	no nos cuidemos	no os cuidéis	no se cuiden

¹Rare; now chiefly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tuteo-form for the present subjunctive.

Derived terms

• zamuro cuidando carne

Related terms

• cuidacoches
• cuidado
• cuidador
• cuidadosamente
• cuidadoso
• cuidarse
• descuidar
• descuido

See also

• velar

Further reading

• “cuidar”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025