lento
/ˈlento/
The English word slow is translated into Spanish as lento. Wiktionary also lists lerdo.
Meaning: not quick in motion (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| lento | /ˈlento/ |
| lerdo | /ˈleɾdo/ |
Lento is used to describe something that is not quick in motion. This applies to physical movement as well as abstract concepts such as the pace of a process, the speed of business or the passage of time.
Which one should you use?
While lento refers to physical or temporal speed, lerdo often carries a derogatory connotation, implying that a person is mentally slow or dim-witted.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective lento must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. Use lenta for feminine nouns and lentos for masculine plural nouns.
Did you know?
- Ancient Latin used lentus not only for speed but also to describe something that was flexible or pliable, like a bow.
- The Latin root of lerdo, lurdus, is also the ancestor of the English word 'lourd' and the French 'lourd', both of which mean 'heavy'.
- In Spanish, the word lentitud (slowness) is often used in legal or administrative contexts to describe 'dilatory' behavior intended to stall a process.
Examples in context
- ¡Qué lento va esto!This is going so slow!This is useful for expressing frustration with a slow-moving process using lento.Tatoeba #11367410 by arh, translation #11385346 by DJ_Saidez
- El negocio es lento.Business is slow.This shows how lento describes the pace of business.Tatoeba #4781124 by DarkHollow, translation #237948 by CK
- Tatoeba hoy va lento.Tatoeba is slow today.This demonstrates using lento to describe a person's state or speed today.Tatoeba #2046587 by wallebot, translation #8981489 by Nylez
- Por favor, hable despacioPlease speak slowly
- El tren va lentoThe train is going slowly
- Caminemos de forma pausadaLet's walk at a slow pace
- Camina lentoWalk slowly
- Mi perro come despacitoMy dog eats slowly
- El tráfico está avanzando a paso de tortugaThe traffic is moving incredibly slowly
- El proceso de aprendizaje puede ser lento, pero los resultados valen la pena.The learning process can be slow, but the results are worth it.
- El ascensor se mueve despacio, por favor tenga paciencia.The elevator moves slowly, please be patient.
- Mi computadora se está volviendo lenta, necesito hacerle mantenimiento.My computer is becoming slow, I need to do some maintenance on it.
- ¡Camina más despacito! No necesitamos llegar tan rápido.Walk more slowly! We don't need to arrive so quickly.
- 40 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are walking to the park.
- MateoCamina más rápido, eres muy lento.Walk faster, you are very slow.
- LucíaNo puedo ir rápido con estos zapatos.I cannot go fast with these shoes.
- MateoEl camino es corto pero vas lento.The path is short but you are going slow.
- LucíaTengo que ir con cuidado, Mateo.I have to go carefully, Mateo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “slow” translations and entries lento, lerdo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lento, lerdo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
