Pick by job: adjective, adverb, or other sense
| English job | Spanish default | Part of speech | Quick example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slow as a quality (not fast) | lento / lenta | Adjective | un tren lento (a slow train) |
| Do it slowly (manner) | despacio or lentamente | Adverb | habla más despacio |
| Be a slow reader | leer despacio | Verb phrase (Larousse) | Larousse gloss under sense 1 |
| Slow to do X | tardar en + infinitive | Verb pattern | tarda en enfadarse |
| Clock is slow | atrasado / atrasada | Adjective | mi reloj va atrasado |
| Business is slow | flojo / poco activo | Adjective senses | Larousse senses 4 |
AI overviews and short phrasebook hits often stop at "lento = slow" or "despacio = slowly." The table above is the decision artifact: match the English job first, then pick the Spanish form. Mixing them ("un tren despacio") is the usual learner error.
Lento vs despacio vs lentamente
| Form | What it modifies | Typical use | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| lento / lenta / lentos / lentas | Nouns (agreement required) | People, machines, processes described as not fast | Using it alone when you mean "do this slowly" |
| despacio | Verbs (manner) | Everyday "slowly," traffic, speech rate | Treating it as an adjective before a noun |
| lentamente | Verbs (manner) | Slightly more formal or written "slowly" | Assuming it is the only correct adverb |
Larousse lists lento for "not fast" and gives "to be a slow reader" as leer despacio, which already shows the adjective/adverb split inside one English lemma. SpanishDict and classroom drills often pair lento with despacio the same way: lento describes, despacio instructs manner.
Lentamente is transparent (lenta + -mente) and safe in careful speech. Despacio is the form you hear most when someone asks you to slow down mid-conversation: Más despacio, por favor.
Other Larousse senses English "slow" hides
| English sense (Larousse) | Spanish gloss | Example pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Not prompt / slow to do something | tardar en hacer algo | tarda en responder |
| Clock running behind | atrasado | el reloj está atrasado |
| Quiet business | flojo | el negocio está flojo |
| Quiet place | poco activo | un pueblo poco activo |
| Not sharp (person) | corto (de alcances) | Marked; can sound insulting |
| Slow oven | horno moderado | cocinar a horno moderado |
If your English sentence is "my watch is slow," lento is the wrong lane; atrasado is the Larousse gloss. If you mean "sales are slow this month," flojo fits better than lento. Those sense shifts are why a single flashcard for slow fails.
How to ask someone to slow down
Useful spoken lines:
| Spanish | English job | Register |
|---|---|---|
| Más despacio, por favor. | Speak / go more slowly | Neutral polite |
| Ve más despacio. | Drive / walk more slowly | Direct |
| ¿Puedes hablar más despacio? | Can you speak more slowly? | Polite question |
| Despacio. | Slowly! (short cue) | Casual, urgent |
French greeting forms are covered in how do you greet someone in French. Brazil's official language is covered in does Brazil speak Spanish or Portuguese.