tardar
In the tables below, the stem is shown in black and the ending in purple.
1.Presente
Presente
Habitual actions, general truths, and what's happening now.
| yo | tardo |
| tú | tardas |
| él/ella | tarda |
| nosotros | tardamos |
| vosotros | tardáis |
| ellos/ellas | tardan |
Normalmente tardo una hora en llegar al trabajo.
I usually take an hour to get to work.
¿Cuánto tardas en hacer la tarea?
How long do you take to do the homework?
2.Pretérito Indefinido
Pretérito Indefinido
Completed actions at a specific point in the past.
| yo | tardé |
| tú | tardaste |
| él/ella | tardó |
| nosotros | tardamos |
| vosotros | tardasteis |
| ellos/ellas | tardaron |
Ayer tardé dos horas en terminar el proyecto.
Yesterday, I took two hours to finish the project.
Ella tardó mucho en llegar a la fiesta.
She was late to the party.
3.Imperfecto
Imperfecto
Ongoing or repeated actions in the past, descriptions, and background context.
| yo | tardaba |
| tú | tardabas |
| él/ella | tardaba |
| nosotros | tardábamos |
| vosotros | tardabais |
| ellos/ellas | tardaban |
Cuando era niño, siempre tardaba en despertarme.
When I was a child, I always took a long time to wake up.
Mis amigos tardaban en decidir qué película ver.
My friends took a long time to decide which movie to watch.
4.Futuro Simple
Futuro Simple
Future actions, predictions, and speculation about the present.
| yo | tardaré |
| tú | tardarás |
| él/ella | tardará |
| nosotros | tardaremos |
| vosotros | tardaréis |
| ellos/ellas | tardarán |
Mañana tardaré un poco más en llegar.
Tomorrow, I will take a little longer to arrive.
Ellos tardarán en responder a tu mensaje.
They will take time to respond to your message.
5.Condicional
Condicional
Hypothetical situations, polite requests, and future-in-the-past.
| yo | tardaría |
| tú | tardarías |
| él/ella | tardaría |
| nosotros | tardaríamos |
| vosotros | tardaríais |
| ellos/ellas | tardarían |
Si tuviera que ir al médico, tardaría un rato.
If I had to go to the doctor, it would take me a while.
Nosotros tardaríamos menos si tomáramos el tren.
We would take less time if we took the train.
6.Subjuntivo Presente
Subjuntivo Presente
Wishes, doubts, emotions, and subordinate clauses expressing uncertainty.
| yo | tarde |
| tú | tardes |
| él/ella | tarde |
| nosotros | tardemos |
| vosotros | tardéis |
| ellos/ellas | tarden |
Espero que no tardes mucho en llegar.
I hope that you don’t take long to arrive.
Es importante que ellos no tarden en enviar el informe.
It is important that they do not take long to send the report.
7.Subjuntivo Imperfecto
Subjuntivo Imperfecto
Past subjunctive contexts, hypothetical si-clauses, and polite suggestions.
| yo | tardara |
| tú | tardaras |
| él/ella | tardara |
| nosotros | tardáramos |
| vosotros | tardarais |
| ellos/ellas | tardaran |
Si yo tardara más, perdería el autobús.
If I took longer, I would miss the bus.
Ojalá que no tardaras tanto en terminar.
I wish you didn’t take so long to finish.
"tardar" in other languages
Related verbs
Common questions
- Is "tardar" regular or irregular in Spanish?
- "tardar" is a regular -ar verb in Spanish. It follows the standard conjugation pattern for -ar verbs.
- How do you conjugate "tardar" in the present tense?
- In the Presente, "tardar" conjugates as: tardas, tardo, tardan, and more. See the full table above.
- What is the past tense of "tardar" in Spanish?
- In the Pretérito Indefinido, "tardar" conjugates as: tardaste, tardé, tardaron, and more. See the full table above.
- How common is "tardar" in Spanish?
- "tardar" (to take, to be late) is one of the most commonly used verbs in Spanish.