Ralentizó

Ralentizó is the third-person singular form of the Spanish verb ralentizar in the pretérito perfecto simple (also called pretérito). It means “he/she/you (formal) slowed down” and is used to describe a completed action in which speed or progress decreased. The verb can be used transitively, as in “la lluvia ralentizó el tráfico” (the rain slowed down the traffic), or intransitively, with a reflexive or inanimate subject, as in “la producción se ralentizó” (production slowed down).

Etymology and related terms. Ralentizar and its noun ralentización come from the idea of reducing speed. The word is related to lento, meaning slow, and is influenced by the French verb ralentir, from which the Spanish forms were borrowed or calqued. The noun form ralentización denotes the act or result of slowing down, and is common in technical, scientific, and economic contexts.

Conjugation note. Ralentizar is a regular -ar verb, so its conjugation follows standard patterns. In the pretérito, the forms include yo ralenticé, tú ralentizaste, él/ella/usted ralentizó, nosotros ralentizamos, vosotros ralentizasteis, ellos/ellas/ustedes ralentizaron. The form ralentizó is the common third-person singular used in narrative and descriptive writing.

Usage tips. Ralentizar is frequently used in discussions of traffic, machinery, processes, sports, and economies to describe a decrease in speed or pace. It is distinct from retrasar, which more often means postponing or delaying rather than reducing speed.

See also: ralentización; lento; ralentizado.