Cuidar de contra Cuidar a

[aleCcowaN]

I don't see such difference in commitment, but it's a subjective matter.

Basically the verb cuidar can be used both as a transitive and as an intransitive verb.

transitive---> cuida a su abuela enferma; cuida la casa de su vecino mientras él está de vacaciones

intransitive---> cuida de los animales de la granja (this use is literary in my part of the world, and it could seem to be "no deep" or "occasional" in some examples just because it's literary or foreign)

But the uses of cuidar de that are very common in my area are:

(every level of the language) ---> to mean "beware or protect yourself of somebody or something potentially harmful" ---> cuídate de ese tío (cuidate de ese tipo -in my country-) que es un cretino.
(slightly formal or literary, or even dated -in my country-)---> to mean "be sure the action expressed by de subordinate verb is carried out" --->lleva este mensaje al prisionero y cuida de que nadie te vea.

cuida de que nadie te vea = asegúrate de que nadie te vea = asegúrate de no ser visto = be sure you're not seen.