Care for – a phrasal verb in English with two different meanings. The first one is used in its literal sense – to take care of a person in physical terms. This could be a child, an elderly person, or a patient.
The other meaning of this phrase relates to feelings – to have affection or love for a person. This usage is far more formal and controlled than just “love.”
Pronunciation & Spoken Tips for “Care For”
Audio (UK):
Audio (US):
The English pronunciation of the r ending in “care” blends easily into “for” to provide you with a smooth combination and not with two distinct sounds.
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Tenses & Conjugation of “Care For”
Since “care for” is a phrasal verb derived from the regular verb “care,” it is always conjugated as expected without any exceptions. However, students tend to make errors in using the Third Person Singular in the Present Tense, as well as in forming the Continuous Tense in expressions of emotion. The following tables illustrate both situations.
|
Tense |
Form |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Base form |
care for |
They
|
|
Present Simple (I/you/we/they) |
care for |
We
|
|
Present Simple (he/she/it) |
cares for |
She
|
|
Past Simple |
cared for |
He
|
|
Past Continuous |
was/were caring for |
She
|
|
Present Perfect |
has/have cared for |
They
|
|
Future (will) |
will care for |
The nurse
|
|
Gerund / -ing form |
caring for |
|
|
Negative: do not / doesn’t care for |
doesn’t care for |
He
|
Common Mistakes with “Care For”
Here are the particular errors that are often found in learners’ English. There are several that derive from translations from other languages. The first one is what we have discussed in our previous lesson, the stative verbs. It is important to read through each explanation before using the phrase yourself.
|
Why? |
||
|---|---|---|
|
She is caring for him very much. (emotional)
|
She cares for him very much.
|
Emotional “care for” is stative. No continuous form for feelings. |
|
I care for my grandmother since 2019.
|
I have cared for my grandmother since 2019.
|
“Since” requires the Present Perfect, not the Present Simple. |
|
She cares about her patients every day.
|
She cares for her patients every day.
|
“Care about” = to consider important. “Care for” = to look after. Different prepositions, different meanings. |
|
He caring for his father now.
|
He is caring for his father now.
|
Missing auxiliary verb “is.” Always needed in the continuous form. |
|
I don’t care for to go for a walk.
|
I don’t care to go for a walk.
|
When “care” means “wish/want,” the structure is “care + to + infinitive,” not “care for + infinitive.” |
“Care For” vs. “Care About” vs. “Look After”
And here is the distinction that students require but that books often overlook. These three expressions have the same meaning in certain cases, but they are by no means identical. Choosing any other expression will alter the meaning of the sentence you are constructing. Take a look at the following table and see whether you can master the distinctions.
|
Phrase |
Core Meaning |
Typical Context |
|---|---|---|
|
care for (someone) |
To physically look after OR to have feelings for |
Healthcare, family duty, literary emotion |
|
care about (something/someone) |
To consider important, to be concerned about |
Values, causes, opinions, priorities |
|
look after (someone) |
To take practical responsibility for someone’s well-being |
Childcare, eldercare, informal supervision |
“Care For” in Spanish, French, and German
As you already know the phrase “care for” can take on various meanings in the English language, such as taking care of someone, offering help, or even expressing love and affection towards a person. Consequently, different translations might be used in different contexts.
| Language | Physical Caregiving | Emotional Affection |
|---|---|---|
Spanish
|
cuidar a | querer a / tener cariño a |
French
|
s'occuper de / prendre soin de | tenir à |
German
|
sich kümmern um | jemanden mögen / für jemanden sorgen |
