retardaron

Retardaron is the third-person plural form of the verb retardar in the pretérito indefinido (simple past) used in Spanish. It conveys that a delay occurred in the past, meaning that something or someone slowed down or postponed a process, event, or action. The form can be used with subjects such as equipos, personas, or events, for example, “Los proyectos retardaron por la falta de materiales.”

Etymology and meaning: retardar comes from Latin retardāre, built from re- (again, back) and tardus (slow). The term is part of a semantic group related to delay, slowing, or hindering progress. In usage, retardar is a regular -ar verb, with retardaron as the plural past tense form. Other related forms include retardé, retardaste, retardó, retardamos, retardasteis, and retardaron.

Usage notes: In many contexts, retardar can be substituted with demorar, retrasar, or dilatar, though nuances exist. Retrasar often emphasizes scheduling or chronological delay, while retardar can imply slowing an ongoing process or hindering progress. In technical or formal writing, both retardar and retrasar are common, but the choice may depend on regional preference and the exact sense of delay.

Examples: “Las obras retrasaron su entrega” (the delivery was delayed). “La lluvia ralentizó el avance y retardaron el plan.” Synonyms include demorar, retrasar, dilatar, and aplazar, depending on nuance.

See also: retrasar, demorar, dilatar, tardar.