Spanish Phrase
Cuidado por donde pisas.
Meaning
A warning telling someone to be careful about the spot they are stepping on, usually because the floor is slippery, uneven, or there are hidden obstacles.
When to use
Use in informal or semi‑formal situations when you want to protect someone from a potential hazard—at home, in a workplace, on a street, or any place where the ground might be unsafe.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Cuidadopordondepisas
Cuidado (interjection)
Used as an interjection meaning “be careful” or “watch out”. It functions like an imperative without a verb.
por donde
A prepositional phrase that introduces a relative location, equivalent to “where” in English.
pisas (verb)
Second‑person singular present indicative of “pisar” (to step). It follows the location phrase to specify the action.
🗨In Conversation
¡Cuidado por donde pisas, el piso está mojado!
Watch out where you step, the floor is wet!
¡Gracias! Lo tendré en cuenta.
Thanks! I’ll keep that in mind.
✕Common Mistakes
Cuidado en donde pisas.
The correct preposition after “cuidado” is “por”, not “en”.
Cuidado por donde pises.
The verb should stay in the indicative (pisas) because the sentence is a factual warning, not a subjunctive clause.
Cuidado por donde pisas.
“Cuidado” is the past participle; the interjection form is “cuidado”.
↔Alternatives
Ten cuidado con el piso.
Be careful with the floor.
Mira por dónde caminas.
Watch where you walk.
No te resbales.
Don’t slip.
Cultural Tip
In Spanish‑speaking cultures, “¡Cuidado!” is a common, friendly way to give an immediate safety warning. The phrase can be softened with “por favor” or replaced by region‑specific versions such as “Ten cuidado con el piso” (more common in Mexico) or “Mira por dónde caminas” (frequent in Spain).