Cool MateBe careful you're spilling it vs Look out
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Be careful you're spilling it
Top 2,000 (common)
Look out
Top 2,000 (common)
| Be careful you're spilling it | Look out | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //biː ˈkeəfəl jʊə ˈspɪlɪŋ ɪt//🇺🇸 //bi ˈkɛrfəl jʊr ˈspɪlɪŋ ɪt// | 🇬🇧 //lʊk aʊt//🇺🇸 //lʊk aʊt// |
| Meaning | Watch out, you are spilling it. | Be careful or watch for something. |
| Example | Be careful you're spilling it all over the table. | Look out for cars when crossing the street. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | spilling drink, be careful with liquids, spilling food, spilling water, be careful not to spill | look out for danger, look out for each other, look out from the window |
| Common mistakes | Forgetting to use 'you're' instead of 'your'., Using 'spilling' with an incorrect object., Using too formal language for a casual warning. | Confused with 'look after' which means to care for someone., Using 'look out' incorrectly in passive voice., Misusing 'look out' as a noun. |
| Usage notes | Use in situations where caution is needed. Avoid in formal contexts; appropriate among friends or in casual settings. | Used to warn someone of danger or to advise them to be cautious. It is appropriate in everyday conversations but may sound too informal in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Be careful you're spilling it vs Look out
What's the difference between Be careful you're spilling it and Look out?
Be careful you're spilling it: Watch out, you are spilling it. Look out: Be careful or watch for something.
Can you show an example of each?
Be careful you're spilling it: Be careful you're spilling it all over the table. Look out: Look out for cars when crossing the street.
Can I use Be careful you're spilling it and Look out interchangeably?
Not always. Be careful you're spilling it and Look out 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.