Difference between 注意する and 気をつける


Usage and difference in meaning.

As I know they both mean **to be careful**. For example :

> ~車に注意してください。  
>  ~車に気をつけてください。

Both mean **be careful about car (~while crossing the road)**

From [this question](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/13288/16171) _注意する_
means to warn.




Just as in English, there are many ways to say the same thing.  
And in most cases, you could assume they mean the same.  
気をつける is more like an expression and can usually just be used as such.  
注意 is more flexible and used in other ways.

車に注意する -> Be careful of the cars  
車に気をつける -> Pay attention to the cars




I believe 注意する is more formal than 気をつける. For example, warning signs will say
ご注意ください, not お気をつけください.

