cauteloso
adjectiveCEFR B2
What does “cauteloso” mean in English?
wary, cautious — feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems
wary, cautious — feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems (ser cauteloso con, mostrarse cauteloso)
Example sentences
Es un inversor cauteloso que no asume riesgos innecesarios.
He is a cautious investor who does not take unnecessary risks.
Fue cautelosa al hacer sus declaraciones públicas.
She was cautious when making her public statements.
Debemos ser cautelosos ante esta situación.
We must be wary in this situation.
How to use it
'Cauteloso/a' means wary or cautious — careful to avoid risk. Used with ser for personality trait, estar for a current cautious stance. Key collocations: 'actitud cautelosa', 'enfoque cauteloso'. The noun is 'cautela'; the adverb is 'cautelosamente'.
Common mistake
Don't confuse 'cauteloso' (wary/cautious by disposition) with 'precavido' (taking precautions in advance) — 'cauteloso' describes an attitude, 'precavido' describes advance preparation.