cuidarse — Spanish conjugation
to take care of oneself
Indicative
Present (Presente) Regular
The present tense is the most versatile tense in Spanish. It covers actions happening right now, habitual actions, and even near-future plans. One form does the work of three English constructions.
Ella habla inglés — She speaks / is speaking English
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me cuido |
| tú | te cuidas |
| vos | te cuidás |
| él/ella/Ud. | se cuida |
| nosotros | nos cuidamos |
| vosotros | os cuidáis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se cuidan |
Preterite (Pretérito indefinido) Regular
Used for completed past actions with a defined endpoint — a single event, a series of events, or an action that interrupted another. Common with time expressions like ayer, el lunes, una vez.
Ella habló de ti ayer — She spoke about you yesterday
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me cuidé |
| tú | te cuidaste |
| vos | te cuidaste |
| él/ella/Ud. | se cuidó |
| nosotros | nos cuidamos |
| vosotros | os cuidasteis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se cuidaron |
Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto) Regular
Describes ongoing or habitual past states — what things were like, background context, what used to happen. Contrasts with the preterite which marks completed events.
Cuando era niño vivía en Valencia — When I was a child I lived in Valencia
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me cuidaba |
| tú | te cuidabas |
| vos | te cuidabas |
| él/ella/Ud. | se cuidaba |
| nosotros | nos cuidábamos |
| vosotros | os cuidabais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se cuidaban |
Conditional (Condicional) Regular
Expresses hypothetical actions, polite requests, and what would happen under certain conditions. Also used for reported speech about the future from a past perspective.
¿Podrías ayudarme? — Could you help me?
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me cuidaría |
| tú | te cuidarías |
| vos | te cuidarías |
| él/ella/Ud. | se cuidaría |
| nosotros | nos cuidaríamos |
| vosotros | os cuidaríais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se cuidarían |
Future (Futuro) Regular
Expresses future actions, predictions, and probability about the present. Formed with the full infinitive as stem for most verbs. In spoken Spanish, ir a + infinitive is often preferred for near future.
Ella hablará en conferencia mañana — She will speak at the conference tomorrow
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me cuidaré |
| tú | te cuidarás |
| vos | te cuidarás |
| él/ella/Ud. | se cuidará |
| nosotros | nos cuidaremos |
| vosotros | os cuidaréis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se cuidarán |
Present perfect (Pretérito perfecto) Regular
A compound past tense linking a past action to the present moment — something that has happened and still feels recent or relevant. More common in Spain than Latin America where preterite is preferred.
Hoy he hablado con el jefe — Today I have spoken with the boss
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me he cuidado |
| tú | te has cuidado |
| vos | te has cuidado |
| él/ella/Ud. | se ha cuidado |
| nosotros | nos hemos cuidado |
| vosotros | os habéis cuidado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se han cuidado |
Pluperfect (Pretérito pluscuamperfecto) Regular
The past of the past — describes an action that was already completed before another past event happened. Always implies a reference point in the past.
Ya había hablado cuando llegaste — She had already spoken when you arrived
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me había cuidado |
| tú | te habías cuidado |
| vos | te habías cuidado |
| él/ella/Ud. | se había cuidado |
| nosotros | nos habíamos cuidado |
| vosotros | os habíais cuidado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se habían cuidado |
Conditional perfect (Condicional perfecto) Regular
Expresses what would have happened — actions that were possible but did not occur, or regrets about the past. Formed with conditional of haber + past participle.
Habría hablado, pero no me dejaron — I would have spoken, but they did not let me
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me habría cuidado |
| tú | te habrías cuidado |
| vos | te habrías cuidado |
| él/ella/Ud. | se habría cuidado |
| nosotros | nos habríamos cuidado |
| vosotros | os habríais cuidado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se habrían cuidado |
Future perfect (Futuro perfecto) Regular
Describes an action that will have been completed by a certain point in the future, or expresses probability about a recent past action.
Para el lunes habré terminado — By Monday I will have finished
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me habré cuidado |
| tú | te habrás cuidado |
| vos | te habrás cuidado |
| él/ella/Ud. | se habrá cuidado |
| nosotros | nos habremos cuidado |
| vosotros | os habréis cuidado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se habrán cuidado |
Subjunctive
Present subjunctive (Subjuntivo presente) Regular
Used in subordinate clauses after expressions of desire, doubt, emotion, necessity, or impersonal statements. Triggered by a change of subject between the main and subordinate clause.
Espero que hable — I hope she speaks
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me cuide |
| tú | te cuides |
| vos | te cuides |
| él/ella/Ud. | se cuide |
| nosotros | nos cuidemos |
| vosotros | os cuidéis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se cuiden |
Imperfect subjunctive (-ra) (Subjuntivo imperfecto (-ra)) Regular
The past subjunctive used after past main verbs, in if-clauses with conditional, and for polite softening. The -ra form is more common in everyday speech than the -se form.
Si pudiera, lo haría — If I could, I would do it
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me cuidara |
| tú | te cuidaras |
| vos | te cuidaras |
| él/ella/Ud. | se cuidara |
| nosotros | nos cuidáramos |
| vosotros | os cuidarais |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se cuidaran |
Imperfect subjunctive (-se) (Subjuntivo imperfecto (-se)) Regular
The alternative past subjunctive form. Interchangeable with -ra in most contexts but slightly more literary or formal. Both forms are grammatically correct in all regions.
Si pudiese, lo haría — If I could, I would do it
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me cuidase |
| tú | te cuidases |
| vos | te cuidases |
| él/ella/Ud. | se cuidase |
| nosotros | nos cuidásemos |
| vosotros | os cuidaseis |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se cuidasen |
Perfect subjunctive (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo) Regular
A compound subjunctive that expresses completed actions in a subjunctive context — used after present or future main verbs expressing doubt, emotion or desire.
Dudo que ya haya llegado — I doubt she has already arrived
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me haya cuidado |
| tú | te hayas cuidado |
| vos | te hayas cuidado |
| él/ella/Ud. | se haya cuidado |
| nosotros | nos hayamos cuidado |
| vosotros | os hayáis cuidado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se hayan cuidado |
Pluperfect subjunctive (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo) Regular
Expresses what had happened in hypothetical or unreal past contexts — the subjunctive equivalent of the pluperfect. Common in contrary-to-fact past conditions.
Si hubiera hablado, lo habrían creído — If she had spoken, they would have believed her
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me hubiera cuidado |
| tú | te hubieras cuidado |
| vos | te hubieras cuidado |
| él/ella/Ud. | se hubiera cuidado |
| nosotros | nos hubiéramos cuidado |
| vosotros | os hubierais cuidado |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se hubieran cuidado |
Other forms
Present progressive (Presente progresivo) Regular
Emphasises that an action is happening right now at this very moment. Less common than in English since the present tense already covers ongoing actions in Spanish.
Estoy hablando contigo — I am speaking with you
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me estoy cuidando |
| tú | te estás cuidando |
| vos | te estás cuidando |
| él/ella/Ud. | se está cuidando |
| nosotros | nos estamos cuidando |
| vosotros | os estáis cuidando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se están cuidando |
Preterite progressive (Pretérito indefinido progresivo) Regular
Describes an action that was in progress throughout a completed past period. Uses the preterite of estar + gerund to emphasise the ongoing nature within a defined timeframe.
Estuvo hablando toda la tarde — He was talking all afternoon
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me estuve cuidando |
| tú | te estuviste cuidando |
| vos | te estuviste cuidando |
| él/ella/Ud. | se estuvo cuidando |
| nosotros | nos estuvimos cuidando |
| vosotros | os estuvisteis cuidando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se estuvieron cuidando |
Imperfect progressive (Pretérito imperfecto progresivo) Regular
Emphasises an ongoing background action using the imperfect of estar + gerund. Layered on top of the imperfect which already conveys continuity — used for extra emphasis on the progressive nature.
Estaba hablando cuando entró — I was speaking when he came in
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me estaba cuidando |
| tú | te estabas cuidando |
| vos | te estabas cuidando |
| él/ella/Ud. | se estaba cuidando |
| nosotros | nos estábamos cuidando |
| vosotros | os estabais cuidando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se estaban cuidando |
Conditional progressive (Condicional progresivo) Regular
Expresses what would be in progress under hypothetical conditions. Uses the conditional of estar + gerund. Less common but used for emphasis on the ongoing nature of a hypothetical action.
Estaría hablando ahora si pudiera — I would be speaking now if I could
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me estaría cuidando |
| tú | te estarías cuidando |
| vos | te estarías cuidando |
| él/ella/Ud. | se estaría cuidando |
| nosotros | nos estaríamos cuidando |
| vosotros | os estaríais cuidando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se estarían cuidando |
Future progressive (Futuro progresivo) Regular
Describes an action that will be in progress at a future point, or expresses probability about an ongoing present action. Uses the future of estar + gerund.
Mañana a esta hora estaré viajando — At this time tomorrow I will be travelling
| Pronoun | Spanish |
|---|---|
| yo | me estaré cuidando |
| tú | te estarás cuidando |
| vos | te estarás cuidando |
| él/ella/Ud. | se estará cuidando |
| nosotros | nos estaremos cuidando |
| vosotros | os estaréis cuidando |
| ellos/ellas/Uds. | se estarán cuidando |