What does tardar mean?
tardar means to take some amount of time in English. It is a regular -ar verb.
It can also be used with these related meanings: to take too much time, to be late.
Spanish verb guide
Tardar Conjugation in Spanish
Learn tardar, meaning to take some amount of time, through verified forms and contextual examples.
regular-argerund: tardandoparticiple: tardado
Principal forms of tardar
- Infinitive
- tardar
- Gerund
- tardando
- Past participle
- tardado
Tardar conjugation table
Compare the present, preterite, imperfect, and future forms. Reflexive pronouns are included where the verb requires them.
| Pronoun | Present | Preterite | Imperfect | Future |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | tardo | tardé | tardaba | tardaré |
| tú | tardas | tardaste | tardabas | tardarás |
| él / ella / usted | tarda | tardó | tardaba | tardará |
| nosotros/as | tardamos | tardamos | tardábamos | tardaremos |
| ellos/as / ustedes | tardan | tardaron | tardaban | tardarán |
Pattern notes
- Tardar follows the regular -ar pattern in the four tenses shown here.
Examples with tardar
¿Cuánto se tarda a pie?How long does it take on foot?Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
No sé si tardará mucho.I don't know if it'll take a long time.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Eso no tardó mucho tiempo.That didn't take long.Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Practice prompts
- Conjugate tardar for yo in the present.
- Use the preterite form for ella.
- Say the nosotros/as imperfect form.
- Write a short sentence in the future.
Practice tardar online
Use VerbyGo for a quick conjugation round with instant feedback and accent checking.