How to Say Take Care in Spanish (Cuídate)

Take care in Spanish is cuídate — the warm, caring goodbye you give a friend, and one of the most useful sign-offs to have ready. Because Spanish marks formality, “take care” splits into cuídate (informal tú) and cuídese (formal usted), and Mexicans layer on affectionate extras like cuídate mucho and que te vaya bien. This little verb comes from cuidar (“to take care of”), and getting its endings right is a quick win.

The main way to say it

Cuídate — pronounced KWEE-dah-teh.

The pronunciation details that matter:

• The stress is on the first syllable — that’s what the accent on cuí marks: KWEE-dah-teh.
• Cui- is a “kwee” sound (hard “k” + “wee”), like the start of “queen.”
• The final -te is a soft “teh.” Three clean syllables.

The formality split:

• Cuídate = take care (informal, to a friend, family, peer). The -te is the reflexive tú ending.
• Cuídese = take care (formal, to an elder, stranger, or in professional settings). The -se is the usted ending.

To wish it on plural people (a group), it’s cuídense (“take care, you all”). And to intensify, add mucho: cuídate mucho (“take good care of yourself”), which sounds genuinely affectionate.

Variations

Phrase	Meaning	Register
Cuídate	Take care (informal)	Casual, warm
Cuídese	Take care (formal)	Polite, formal
Cuídense	Take care (plural / group)	Casual or formal group
Cuídate mucho	Take good care of yourself	Warm, affectionate
Que te vaya bien	Hope it goes well for you	Warm, common
Que estés bien	Be well / stay well	Warm
Que te cuides	(You) take care	Casual, softened
Nos vemos, cuídate	See you, take care	Everyday sign-off
Pórtate bien	Behave / be good (playful)	Casual, joking

The most natural everyday combo is stacking a farewell with cuídate: nos vemos, cuídate (“see you, take care”). To wish someone well on their way, que te vaya bien (“hope things go well for you”) is warm and extremely common — practically a second “take care.”

For extra affection to family or a partner, cuídate mucho carries real tenderness. And pórtate bien (“behave yourself”) is the playful, joking send-off between friends.

Hear it in context

Saying goodbye to a friend (casual):

— Bueno, ya me voy, se hace tarde. — Va, gracias por venir. Cuídate mucho. — Igualmente. Nos vemos el jueves. — Que te vaya bien. ¡Beso!

Alright, I’m off, it’s getting late. — Cool, thanks for coming. Take good care. — You too. See you Thursday. — Hope it goes well. Bye!

Formal goodbye to someone older (polite):

— Muchas gracias por todo, doctor. — De nada. Cuídese, y cualquier cosa me llama. — Claro que sí. Que esté bien. — Igualmente. Hasta pronto.

Thank you so much for everything, doctor. — You’re welcome. Take care, and call me if anything comes up. — Of course. Be well. — Likewise. See you soon.

Common mistakes

• Using “cuídate” with someone you should address formally. For an elder, a stranger, or a professional context, it’s cuídese. Mixing up tú and usted endings is the most common slip.
• Forgetting the accent (in writing) and misplacing the stress. It’s cuídate — stress on the first syllable. Saying “kwee-DAH-teh” sounds off.
• Saying “toma cuidado.” That’s a Portuguese/word-for-word calque. Spanish uses the reflexive verb: cuídate, not toma cuidado.
• Using the singular for a group. To a group it’s cuídense (plural), not cuídate.

Mexico vs Spain notes

Cuídate / cuídese work identically across the Spanish-speaking world.

• Que te vaya bien is universal and beloved in both Mexico and Spain as a warm send-off.
• In Spain, addressing a group informally uses vosotros, so “take care, you all” becomes cuidaos — a form Mexicans never use (Mexico uses cuídense for every plural). This is one of the clearest Mexico–Spain grammar differences.
• Pronunciation is regionally neutral; nothing lisps in cuídate.

Related phrases

A good goodbye is a little sequence — assemble it:

• How to say goodbye in Spanish — the adiós / hasta luego that cuídate usually follows.
• How to say see you later in Spanish — the nos vemos that pairs perfectly with cuídate.
• Keep collecting farewells with our guide to common Spanish phrases.

FAQ

Is it “cuídate” or “cuídese”? Cuídate is informal (to a friend, family, or peer — the tú form); cuídese is formal (to an elder, stranger, or in professional settings — the usted form). Match it to how you’d otherwise address the person.

How do I say “take care” to a group? Use cuídense (“take care, you all”). In Spain, an informal group would instead hear cuidaos, but Mexico uses cuídense for every plural.

Why is there an accent on “cuídate”? It marks the stress on the first syllable: cuí-da-te (KWEE-dah-teh). Without knowing it, learners tend to stress the wrong syllable.

What’s the difference between “cuídate” and “que te vaya bien”? Cuídate literally tells someone to take care of themselves; que te vaya bien wishes that things go well for them. They’re often said together as a warm goodbye.

Can I make it more affectionate? Yes — add mucho: cuídate mucho (“take good care of yourself”). It’s tender and common with family, close friends, and partners.