Tardarse

(everyday chunks)
A2 (¡Vas bien!)Used EVERYWHERE 🇲🇽Standard Spanish 😌

🧠 What it means

Yes, yes, tardarse IS a reflexive verb, NOT a chunk. But it's one of those verbs that's best taught in chunks, so I thought I'd make one central hub page for all the chunks with tardarse, jiji. And, at its core, it just means: 👉 to take long / to take ages So yeah, as you can probably imagine, this is essential everyday Spanish!
Common chunks with tardarse 🧱No me tardo. = I won’t be long. No te tardes. = Don’t be long. ¿Se va a tardar mucho? = Is it going to take long? Ya se está tardando. = He’s / She’s taking ages. Se tardó mucho. = He / She took ages. Me tardé un buen. = I took ages.

🌪️ When to whip it out

When you want to say you won’t be long:

No me tardo. = I won’t be long.

Ahorita regreso, no me tardo.
I’ll be right back, I won’t be long.
Voy por unas chelas, no me tardo.
I’m going to get some beers, I won’t be long.

When you want to tell someone else not to be long:

No te tardes. = Don’t be long.

Ve rápido, pero no te tardes, ¿eh?
Go quickly, but don’t be long, alright?
No te tardes, que ya casi empieza.
Don’t be long, it’s about to start.

When asking if someone/something is going to take long:

¿Se va a tardar mucho? = Is it going to take long?

¿Se va a tardar mucho el doctor?
Is the doctor going to be long?
¿Crees que se va a tardar mucho?
Do you think it’s going to take long?

When someone/something is taking longer than expected:

Ya se está tardando. = He’s / She’s taking ages.

Ya se está tardando, ¿no?
She’s taking ages, don’t you think?
Ya se está tardando mucho el doctor.
The doctor’s taking ages.

⚠️ Tone

✅ You’re going to hear this EVERYWHERE!

✅ And I mean EVERYWHERE! 😉

✅ It’s not slangy or rude, just very, very useful.

🔁 Similar chunks

Hacerse tardeAhorita regresoAhorita vengo

🦜 El Rincón del Cotorreo

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