cuidáis

Cuidáis is the second-person plural present indicative form of the Spanish verb cuidar, meaning “you all take care of” or “you all are looking after.” It is used when addressing a group informally in Spain. In most Latin American varieties, the corresponding form is not used; speakers typically say “ustedes cuidan.”

As a regular -ar verb, cuidar follows the standard present indicative endings: cuido, cuidas, cuida, cuidamos, cuidáis, cuidan. The form cuidáis reflects the vosotros form, which is characteristic of Spain and is not common in many other Spanish-speaking regions, where vosotros is replaced by ustedes in everyday speech.

Usage notes and examples:

- Cuidáis a vuestros padres cada día. (You all take care of your parents every day.)

- ¿Cuidáis de las plantas mientras I'm away? (Are you all looking after the plants while I’m away?)

- Cuidamos de los niños durante la reunión; cuidáis de las niñas después. (We take care of the children during the meeting, you all take care of the girls afterward.)

Accent and spelling:

- The accent on the í signals the stress on the appropriate syllable and is required by Spanish orthography; without it, cuidáis would be incorrect in standard Spanish.

Etymology:

- Cuidar derives from the verb family related to care or concern; the present tense forms, including cuidáis, developed through the regular evolution of -ar verbs in Spanish from Latin roots denoting care and attention.

See also: Spanish verb conjugation, Vosotros form, Ustedes in Spanish.