How to Say “To Care For” in Spanish

Learning Spanish can seem daunting at first, but with some key phrases under your belt you’ll be conversational in no time. One common phrase English speakers want to know is how to say “to care for” in Spanish. This versatile phrase has several meanings, from caring for someone’s wellbeing to liking or approving of something. Here’s a comprehensive guide to translating “to care for” in various contexts.

The Many Meanings of “To Care For”

In English “to care for” is a phrase with multiple meanings depending on the context

• To take care of, provide care or assistance – “John cares for his elderly mother.”

• To feel affection for someone – “I still care for my ex-wife as a friend”

• To have a preference for something – “I don’t care for loud music.”

• To look after or supervise someone – “The babysitter cared for the kids.”

Spanish has different ways to express each of these meanings. Let’s look at them one by one.

Caring For Someone’s Wellbeing

When you want to say you are caring for someone’s health, wellbeing or needs, some options in Spanish include:

• Cuidar a – “Ella cuida a su madre enferma” (She cares for her sick mother)

• Cuidar de – “Él cuida de sus hijos” (He cares for his children)

• Ocuparse de – “Me ocupo de mi padre anciano” (I care for my elderly father)

• Encargarse de – “Se encarga de su hermano discapacitado” (She cares for her disabled brother)

Feeling Affection for Someone

The emotional sense of caring for someone is expressed differently in Spanish:

• Querer a – “Todavía quiero a mi ex esposa” (I still care for my ex-wife)

• Tenerle cariño a – “Le tiene mucho cariño a su nieta” (She cares greatly for her granddaughter)

• Importar – “Me importas mucho” (I care for you greatly)

Caring For in a Romantic Sense

Specifically for romantic feelings, you can say:

• Querer a – “Raquel quiere a Pablo” (Raquel cares for Pablo)

• Gustar de – “Me gusta de Pedro” (I care for Pedro)

• Sentir algo por – “Él siente algo por ella” (He cares for her)

Liking Something

When you want to express liking something, Spanish uses:

• Querer – “Quiero la playa” (I care for the beach)

• Preferir – “Prefiero el vino tinto” (I care more for red wine)

• Importar – “Me importa la música latina” (I care for Latin music)

Disliking Something

To convey disliking something, common options are:

• No gustar – “No me gustan las verduras” (I don’t care for vegetables)

• No atraer – “Los deportes no me atraen” (I don’t care for sports)

• No importar – “No me importa la política” (I don’t care for politics)

Taking Care of Something

When referring to caring for or looking after something, use:

• Cuidar – “Cuido mi jardín con esmero” (I carefully care for my garden)

• Atender – “Los meseros atienden las mesas” (The waiters care for the tables)

• Encargarse de – “Me encargo de la casa cuando mis padres viajan” (I care for the house when my parents travel)

Spanish has many options for saying “to care for,” depending on the exact meaning. With this vocabulary, you can express caring for people, things, and abstract concepts. Refer back to these examples the next time you need to say “care for” in Spanish!

“Será que si” is a Spanish phrase that translates to “I wonder if…” or “Could it be that…” in English, often expressing a sense of doubt or curiosity. It can also be interpreted as a more emphatic version of “will it be?”