Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Ella cuida su garganta y no grita en el concierto. - She takes care of her throat and doesn’t yell at the concert.

Cuida is from the verb cuidar (to take care of). It’s third person singular present indicative: ella cuida = “she takes care of.” It’s a transitive verb, so it takes a direct object: cuida su garganta.

With people/animals you often use the personal a: Ella cuida a su abuela.
With things/body parts you don’t: Ella cuida su garganta.

Why is it su garganta and not la garganta?

Both are possible, but they follow different patterns:

Without a reflexive pronoun, you typically use a possessive: Ella cuida su garganta.
With a reflexive pronoun (meaning “take care of oneself”), Spanish uses the definite article with body parts: Ella se cuida la garganta.

Do not mix them: “Se cuida su garganta” is incorrect/unidiomatic.

Is su ambiguous? Could it mean “his/their/your (formal)”?

Yes. Su can mean his, her, their, or your (formal). Context usually makes it clear that with Ella, it means “her.” If you need to remove ambiguity:

La garganta de ella (her throat) is explicit.
Or use the reflexive pattern: Ella se cuida la garganta (unambiguously her own).

Could I say cuida de su garganta?

It’s acceptable, but in Latin America plain cuidar (without de) is more common: Ella cuida su garganta. Cuidar de is heard more in Spain or in certain set phrases. In everyday Latin American usage, prefer cuidar + direct object.

Do I need the subject pronoun Ella?

No. Spanish is a pro‑drop language. Cuida su garganta y no grita en el concierto is fine. You keep Ella for emphasis, contrast, or clarity.

Why does no go before grita? How does negation work?

Spanish places no directly before the conjugated verb:

Ella no grita.
With object pronouns: Ella no me grita.
With two verbs: Ella no quiere gritar.

Should it be no está gritando instead of no grita?

Both are correct, but they differ in nuance:

No grita (simple present) can mean a habitual fact or something happening now.
No está gritando focuses on an action happening right now. Use it when you want to stress the ongoing nature at this moment.

Why en el concierto and not al concierto?

En marks location/context (“at/in”): grita en el concierto = “yells at the concert.”
A/Al marks motion toward a place: va al concierto = “goes to the concert.”
Note: gritar a (or gritarle a) means “to shout at” someone: Le grita a su amigo.

Is durante el concierto also okay? Any difference from en?

Yes. Durante el concierto highlights the time span (“during the concert”). En el concierto is more neutral (place/context) and often implies “while at the concert.” Both are natural; choose based on what you want to emphasize.

Do I ever change y to e here (e.g., e no)?

No. Y only changes to e before words that begin with the “i” sound (words starting with i or hi, e.g., padres e hijos). Since the next word is no, you keep y: … y no grita …

Does gritar mean “to shout” or “to scream”?

Both. Gritar covers “shout/yell/scream” in general; the exact shade depends on context and tone. To say “yell at someone,” use an indirect object: gritarle a alguien (e.g., Le grita a su hermano).

Is garganta the best word here? What about voz or cuello?

Garganta = throat.
Voz = voice (very common in this context: cuida su voz).
Cuello = neck (anatomically different). If the idea is vocal health, cuida su voz is very natural; cuida su garganta is also fine.

Does su agree with the gender of garganta?

Su does not change for gender; it only changes for number:

Singular: su garganta
Plural: sus gargantas (rare in practice, unless referring to multiple throats)

Should it be pero instead of y?

Use y to simply add information: she takes care of her throat and (also) doesn’t yell.
Use pero to introduce a contrast with something previously implied or stated. Without a contrasting setup, y is the neutral, natural choice here.

How would I say this as a command to someone?

Tú (informal): Cuida tu garganta y no grites en el concierto.
Usted (formal): Cuide su garganta y no grite en el concierto.
Ustedes (plural): Cuiden su garganta y no griten en el concierto.