tardar

to take

tardar(tahr-dahr)

transitive verb

1. (to spend time)

a. to take

No puedo creer que tardaste dos horas en llegar.

I can't believe it took you two hours to get here.

intransitive verb

2. (to take too much time)

a. to take too long

Si tardas, vamos a perder el tren.

If you take too long, we'll miss the train.

3. (to be a while)

a. to be long

¿Puedo ir a la tienda, mamá? - Sí, pero no tardes.

Can I go to the store, Mom? - Yes, but don't be long.

tardarse

pronominal verb

4. (to take too much time)

(Latin America)

a. to be long

No me tardo; solo voy a comprar leche.

I won't be long; I'm just going to buy milk.

b. to take a long time

¡Cómo te tardas! ¡Apúrate ya!

You're taking such a long time! Hurry up already!

tardar

intransitive verb

1. (llevar tiempo)

a. to take

tardó un año en hacerloshe took a year to do it

tardó en darse cuentait took him a while o he took a while to realize

¿cuánto tardarás (en hacerlo)?how long will you be (doing it)?, how long will it take you (to do it)?

2. (retrasarse)

a. to be late

3. (ser lento)

a. to be slow

tardar en hacer algoto take a long time to do something

no tardará en llegarhe won't be long (in coming)

ahora vuelvo, no tardoI'll be back in a minute, I won't be long

no tardaron en hacerlothey were quick to do it

a más tardarat the latest

sin tardarpromptly

pronominal verb

4. (general)

a.

no me tardaréI won't be long

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tardar

transitive verb

he tardado un poco debido a la lluvia I'm a bit late because of the rain; tardamos tres horas de Granada a Córdoba it took us o we took three hours to get from Granada to Córdoba; ¿cuánto se tarda? how long does it take?

aquí tardan mucho en servirte the service is very slow here; they take a long time to serve you here

tardó tres horas en encontrarlo it took him three hours to find it; he spent three hours looking for it; tardó mucho en repararlo he took a long time to repair it

¿cuánto tardaremos en terminarlo?

intransitive verb

vete a buscarlo, pero no tardes go and fetch it, but don't be long; te espero a las ocho, no tardes I expect you at eight, don't be late

tardar en hacer algo

tardó en llegar it was late in arriving; tarda en hacer efecto it takes a while to take effect; it doesn't take effect immediately; no tarde usted en informarme please tell me as soon as you know; el público no tardó en reaccionar the spectators were not slow o were quick to react

a más tardar at the latest

a las ocho a más tardar at eight o'clock at the latest

sin tardar without delay

a todo tardar at the latest

pronominal verb

tardarse (México) to be long; take a long time

no me tardo I won't be long; I won't take long