Which is more common in everyday speech — lentamente or despacio?

Despacio is far more common in spoken Spanish. Lentamente sounds more formal or literary. When asking someone to slow down, despacio is the natural choice in virtually every Spanish-speaking country.

Is lento ever used as an adverb?

In casual spoken Spanish, many people do say camina lento or maneja lento. While grammatically it should be lentamente, the adjective-as-adverb usage is widespread and generally accepted in informal contexts.

How do I say slowly but surely in Spanish?

The closest equivalent is lento pero seguro, which is used in exactly the same way as the English expression. Vamos lento pero seguro means We're going slowly but surely.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

Slowly in Spanish: Lentamente and Despacio — Two Words, One Pace

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Lentamente · adverb · lehn-tah-MEHN-teh

Slowly in Spanish has two main translations: lentamente (the formal -mente adverb) and despacio (the casual, everyday form). If you are a beginner, despacio is the single most useful word to memorize — it is what you will hear and say most often.

Lentamente is pronounced lehn-tah-MEHN-teh, four syllables. Despacio is pronounced dehs-PAH-syoh, three syllables and much quicker to say — which is ironic for a word that means slowly.

Por favor, habla más despacio.

Please speak more slowly.

Slowly in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for slowly, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
lentamente	slowly	lehn-tah-MEHN-teh	Default, widely understood
despacio	slowly		universally understood, more conversational
poco a poco	slowly		gradually, bit by bit

How Native Speakers Use Lentamente

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Asking someone to slow down

¿Puedes repetir eso más despacio, por favor?

Can you repeat that more slowly, please?

One of the most important phrases for any Spanish learner — asking someone to speak slowly.

Describing movement

El barco avanzaba lentamente por el río.

The boat moved slowly along the river.

Lentamente is preferred in descriptive or literary contexts.

Gradual progress

Poco a poco fue aprendiendo a tocar la guitarra.

Little by little, he learned to play the guitar.

Poco a poco conveys slowness as a gradual process rather than low speed.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Lentamente

Using lento as an adverb without -mente

Incorrect: Ella camina muy lento.

Correct: Ella camina muy lentamente. / Ella camina muy despacio.

Strictly speaking, lento is an adjective (un carro lento = a slow car). To modify a verb, you should use the adverb lentamente or despacio. However, note that lento is increasingly accepted as an adverb in casual speech in some regions.

Confusing despacio with espacio

Incorrect: Habla más espacio, por favor.

Correct: Habla más despacio, por favor.

Espacio means space (outer space, a room, etc.). Despacio means slowly. Dropping the d- changes the meaning completely.

Lock in Slowly Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Lentamente used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using lentamente in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Por favor, habla más despacio. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Slowly in Spanish

Which is more common in everyday speech — lentamente or despacio?: Despacio is far more common in spoken Spanish. Lentamente sounds more formal or literary. When asking someone to slow down, despacio is the natural choice in virtually every Spanish-speaking country.
Is lento ever used as an adverb?: In casual spoken Spanish, many people do say camina lento or maneja lento. While grammatically it should be lentamente, the adjective-as-adverb usage is widespread and generally accepted in informal contexts.
How do I say slowly but surely in Spanish?: The closest equivalent is lento pero seguro, which is used in exactly the same way as the English expression. Vamos lento pero seguro means We're going slowly but surely.