[Idiom] Be careful what you say.

[beachboy]

If I'm not mistaken, it's right to say:
1 - Be careful of the dog / step (things you may get hurt with).
2 - Be careful with the dishes / baby (things you may drop)

What about the things we say?

3 - Be careful what you say (I've found it on the internet)
4 - Be careful of / with / about what you say

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Number 3 is natural informal speech, at least in the US. Of the three choices in 4, "of" is the most natural in the US.

 

[emsr2d2]

The natural warning for the first part of #1 is "Beware of the dog" and for the second part, "Mind the step".

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

The natural warning for the first part of #1 is "Beware of the dog".

In the US, we see "Beware" on signs more than we hear it in speech. Here we usually say something like, "Watch out for the dog."

"Be careful" works fine here, too. But "Watch out" is more likely.

 

[GoesStation]

The natural warning for the first part of #1 is "Beware of the dog" and for the second part, "Mind the step".

We don't use the helpful warning "Mind the xxx" in American English. We have to use clumsy phrases like Watch the/Watch out for the xxx.

 

[beachboy]

Does it apply to the household expression "MInd your own business"?

 

[GoesStation]

We don't use the helpful warning "Mind the xxx" in American English. We have to use clumsy phrases like Watch the/Watch out for the xxx.

Does [STRIKE]it[/STRIKE] that apply to the household expression "MInd your own business"?

No, that's an exception. Americans use that expression frequently.

When you asked Does it apply, I wondered what "it" was. Because you're an English learner, I knew that you probably meant "that", something recently mentioned in another post.

 

[beachboy]

No, that's an exception. Americans use that expression frequently.

When you asked Does it apply, I wondered what "it" was. Because you're an English learner, I knew that you probably meant "that", something recently mentioned in another post.

It's not easy for learners, I think, to know the difference between it and that in this type of sentence. I guess I'll have to open another thread!
But maybe I have understood. I just have to get used to it.

 

[jutfrank]

I suggest you use 3, not any of the variations of 4.

Before 'wh-' words (what, where, who, how) , you don't need any preposition after Be careful.