Cool MateTake care vs Take care of yourself
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Take care
Top 1,000 (very common)
Take care of yourself
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Take care
| Take care | Take care of yourself | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //teɪk kɛə//🇺🇸 //teɪk kɛr// | 🇬🇧 //teɪk keə(r) əv jəˈsɛlf//🇺🇸 //teɪk kɛr əv jʊrˈsɛlf// |
| Meaning | Be careful or look after yourself. | Look after yourself and your health. |
| Example | As you drive home, remember to take care on the slippery roads. | Don't forget to take care of yourself during the busy season. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | take care of yourself, take care of business, please take care, take care when driving, take care in difficult situations | take care of your mental health, take care of your body, always take care of yourself |
| Antonyms | - | neglect yourself, ignore your needs, disregard your well-being |
| Common mistakes | Using it in very formal situations, which may feel too casual., Confusing with similar phrases like 'take it easy' which has a different meaning. | Omitting 'of' and saying 'take care yourself'., Using it in a formal context where something more affectionate is needed., Getting the order wrong, such as 'care of yourself take'. |
| Usage notes | Used to show concern for someone's well-being. More common in informal contexts among friends and family. | Used when expressing concern for someone's well-being. Appropriate in both spoken and written contexts, but can seem overly formal in casual conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Take care vs Take care of yourself
What's the difference between Take care and Take care of yourself?
Take care: Be careful or look after yourself. Take care of yourself: Look after yourself and your health.
Which is more common: Take care and Take care of yourself?
Take care is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Take care: As you drive home, remember to take care on the slippery roads. Take care of yourself: Don't forget to take care of yourself during the busy season.
Can I use Take care and Take care of yourself interchangeably?
Not always. Take care and Take care of yourself are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.