Watch out!
Literally 'Eye!'. A very common and quick way to tell someone to pay attention or be aware of something.
Literally 'Waters!'. An informal and very common warning, especially in Mexico. Use it for immediate, sudden dangers.
Means 'Be careful'. It's a more complete phrase, often used when the danger isn't as immediate or when giving advice.
Watch out! The floor is wet.
Watch out! That step is broken.
Watch out for the car!
Be careful when you cross the street.
¡Aguas! is extremely common here and is a hallmark of Mexican Spanish. ¡Cuidado! and ¡Ojo! are also used and universally understood.
In addition to ¡Cuidado! and ¡Ojo!, it's very common to hear ¡Pilas! (literally 'batteries'). It means 'stay sharp' or 'pay attention'.
¡Cuidado! and ¡Ojo! are the standard warnings. ¡Aguas! is not used and would sound strange.
¡Ojo! and ¡Cuidado! are the most frequent. You might also hear the expression 'Ojo al charqui', a more colloquial way to say 'pay close attention'.
¡Cuidado! is the most common and standard term. ¡Ojo! is also used frequently. The Mexican expression ¡Aguas! is not used.
Saying *¡Mira afuera!* — English speakers often try a literal translation of 'watch out'. However, 'mirar afuera' means 'to look outside'. The correct fixed expression for a warning is '¡Cuidado!'.
Using '¡Aguas!' outside of Mexico. — While '¡Aguas!' is essential vocabulary in Mexico, it is not widely understood in many other Spanish-speaking countries, including Spain and Argentina. Stick to '¡Cuidado!' for a universally understood warning.
Pronouncing 'cuidado' as 'kwee-ah-doh'. — The 'ui' in 'cuidado' forms a single, quick sound (a diphthong), not two separate vowels. It should sound like the 'wee' in 'queen'. The stress is on the middle syllable: kwee-DAH-doh.
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