How to Say "slow" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “slow” is “lento” — use 'lento' when referring to the physical speed or pace of movement, like a person, animal, or vehicle..
lento
LEN-toh/'len.to/
Examples
El tráfico estaba muy lento esta mañana.
The traffic was very slow this morning.
El caracol es un animal muy lento.
The snail is a very slow animal.
Tuvimos que ir a paso lento por la nieve.
We had to go at a slow pace because of the snow.
La película era buena, pero el ritmo era un poco lento.
The movie was good, but the pace was a bit slow.
Agreement with Gender and Number
Since 'lento' is a descriptive word, it must match the gender and number of the thing it describes. Use lenta for feminine singular things (la tortuga lenta), lentos for masculine plural things, and lentas for feminine plural things.
Adjective vs. Adverb
Mistake: “Using 'lento' to describe an action instead of the adverb 'lentamente' or 'despacio.' (e.g., *Habla lento*)”
Correction: To describe how someone does an action, use the adverb: *Habla lentamente* or *Habla despacio* (He speaks slowly).
larga
LAR-gah/ˈlaɾ.ɣa/
Examples
La película fue demasiado larga para mi gusto.
The movie was too long for my taste.
La espera en el aeropuerto se hizo muy larga.
The wait at the airport became very long.
Hemos tenido una semana laboral larga.
We have had a long work week.
Fue una discusión larga y complicada.
It was a long and complicated discussion.
Adjective Placement
Like most descriptive adjectives, 'larga' usually goes after the noun (e.g., 'una tarde larga').
tardado
/tar-DAH-doh//taɾˈdaðo/
Examples
Renovar el pasaporte es un proceso tardado.
Renewing the passport is a time-consuming process.
El trámite para la visa es muy tardado.
The visa process is very time-consuming.
No seas tardado, ya casi nos vamos.
Don't be so slow, we're almost leaving.
Fue un viaje tardado por la lluvia.
It was a lengthy trip because of the rain.
Gender Agreement
Remember to change the ending to 'tardada' when describing feminine words, like 'una tarea tardada' (a time-consuming task).
Tardado vs. Lento
Mistake: “Using 'lento' for everything that takes time.”
Correction: Use 'lento' for speed (a slow car) and 'tardado' for duration (a task that takes a long time).
torpe
TORE-peh/ˈtoɾpe/
Examples
Mi abuelo es un poco torpe con la tecnología nueva.
My grandfather is a bit slow with new technology.
Es un poco torpe para entender las instrucciones complejas.
He is a bit slow when it comes to understanding complex instructions.
¡Qué torpe eres! Te dije que era la respuesta B, no la C.
How dull you are! I told you it was answer B, not C.
Used as a Noun
You can use 'torpe' as a noun to mean 'a clumsy person' or 'a fool': '¡No seas torpe!' (Don't be a fool!).
Confusing Physical Speed with Duration
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