Italian Phrase
Abbi cura di te.
Meaning
A warm, informal way to tell someone ‘take care of yourself.’ It conveys genuine concern and is often said when parting, after someone has been ill, or after a stressful situation.
When to use
Use it with friends, family, or close colleagues in casual conversation. In formal or professional settings you would switch to the polite form ‘Si prenda cura di sé.’
✦Grammar Breakdown
Abbicuradite
Abbi (imperative of avere)
‘Abbi’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb ‘avere’ (to have) and is used here as an auxiliary to form the idiom.
cura (noun)
‘Cura’ means ‘care’ or ‘concern’; together with ‘abbi’ it creates the fixed expression ‘abbi cura’ = ‘take care’.
di (preposition)
The preposition ‘di’ links the noun ‘cura’ with the pronoun that follows.
te (reflexive pronoun)
‘Te’ is the stressed form of the second‑person singular pronoun, used after prepositions.
🗨In Conversation
Abbi cura di te!
Take care of yourself!
Grazie, lo farò.
Thanks, I will.
✕Common Mistakes
Hai cura di te.
‘Hai cura di te’ is grammatically correct but not idiomatic; native speakers use the imperative ‘abbi cura di te.’
Abbi cura di voi.
The plural form is rarely used in everyday speech; you would say ‘abbi cura di voi’ only in a very specific context, otherwise stick to the singular.
Abbi cura di te stesso.
Redundant – ‘te’ already includes the meaning of ‘yourself.’
↔Alternatives
Stai attento/a.
Be careful.
Prenditi cura di te.
Take care of yourself.
Fai bene a te stesso/a.
Do good to yourself.
Abbi attenzione.
Pay attention.
Cultural Tip
In Italy, wishing someone ‘Abbi cura di te’ is a sign of personal warmth. It’s common after a goodbye at a café, after a doctor’s visit, or when a friend is going through a tough time. Because it’s informal, avoid it in business emails; opt for the more formal ‘Si prenda cura di sé.’