retrocedo

Retrocedo is the first-person singular present indicative form of the Spanish verb retroceder, meaning to move backward, to retreat, or to back up. It can describe a literal action, such as a vehicle reversing, or a figurative one, such as withdrawing from plans, backing away from a proposal, or losing ground in a discussion.

Originating from Latin retrocedere, the word combines retro- “back” with -cedere “to go, yield.” In Portuguese and Spanish, the related verb forms share the same roots and meanings, with present-tense forms differing by language conventions.

Conjugation and usage notes: As a regular -er verb in the present tense, its forms are: yo retrocedo, tú retrocedes, él/ella/usted retrocede, nosotros/nosotras retrocedemos, vosotros/vosotras retrocedéis, ellos/ellas/ustedes retroceden. Beyond the present tense, retroceder has standard conjugation patterns in other tenses. In practice, retrocedo appears in contexts ranging from traffic descriptions to strategic or political reversals. Examples: “El conductor tuvo que retroceder para estacionar,” and “La empresa decidió retroceder en su expansión.”

Related terms include retroceder (to retreat) and retroceso (setback or regressive movement). While retrocedo is strictly the verb form in Spanish, its cognates appear across Romance languages with similar meanings.