slow - Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages

The Word “Slow”: Meaning, Usage, and Translations Across 30 Languages

The word “slow” is a versatile adjective and verb, often used to describe a lack of speed or gradual movement. Whether referring to physical motion, mental processes, or the pace of events, “slow” is a word that appears frequently in daily communication and across different contexts, symbolizing delay, calmness, or a deliberate pace.

Meaning of “Slow”:

As an Adjective (Lack of Speed):
Describes something or someone moving at a reduced speed or with delay.
Example: “The car is moving slowly through the traffic.”
As an Adjective (Delayed Progress):
Used to describe something that happens after a long period of time or at a leisurely pace.
Example: “Her recovery after surgery was slow.”
As a Verb (To Decrease Speed):
To reduce the pace of something or someone.
Example: “Please slow down while driving through the neighborhood.”
As an Adjective (Gradual Development):
Describes gradual development or changes over time.
Example: “The technology has had a slow adoption rate.”

Common Uses of “Slow” in Sentences:

The snail moved slowly across the garden path.
Due to the storm, the traffic was moving very slow.
The old man speaks slowly to ensure he is understood.
She took a slow walk in the park to clear her mind.
The project is progressing slowly, but steadily.

Translations of “Slow” in 30 Languages

Language	Translation	Example Sentence
Spanish	Lento / Lenta	El tráfico está muy lento debido a la lluvia.
French	Lent / Lente	La voiture roule lentement dans les embouteillages.
German	Langsam	Der Zug fährt langsam durch den Tunnel.
Italian	Lento / Lenta	Il fiume scorre lentamente attraverso la valle.
Portuguese	Lento / Lenta	Ele fala lentamente para ser entendido claramente.
Dutch	Traag	De auto rijdt langzaam door het verkeer.
Russian	Медленный (Medlennyy)	Машина ехала медленно из-за пробок.
Chinese (Simplified)	慢 (Màn)	那只乌龟走得很慢。
Japanese	遅い (Osoi)	その車は遅く走っている。
Korean	느리다 (Neurida)	차는 느리게 움직이고 있다.
Hindi	धीमा (Dheema)	गाड़ी बहुत धीमी गति से चल रही है।
Bengali	ধীর (Dhir)	তিনি ধীরে ধীরে হাঁটছিলেন।
Turkish	Yavaş	Arabalar trafik nedeniyle yavaş gidiyor.
Greek	Αργός (Argós)	Η διαδικασία είναι αργή αλλά σταθερή.
Hebrew	איטי (Iti)	הוא הולך לאט כדי להימנע מכאבים.
Swedish	Långsam	Han kör långsamt genom byn.
Norwegian	Langsom	Bilen kjører langsomt på den glatte veien.
Danish	Langsom	Han gikk langsomt på grunn av smerten i beinet.
Finnish	Hidas	Liikenne on hidasta på satoi.
Polish	Powolny	Samochód jechał powoli przez miasto.
Czech	Pomalý	Chodí pomalu, protože je velmi starý.
Hungarian	Lassú	A folyó lassan halad a város mellett.
Romanian	Lentoasă / Lent	Procesul a fost foarte lent.
Thai	ช้า (Chā)	รถติดอย่างหนักทำให้เราขับช้ามาก.
Vietnamese	Chậm	Xe di chuyển rất chậm vì tắc đường.
Indonesian	Lambat	Lalu lintas sangat lambat akibat hujan lebat.
Malay	Perlahan	Jalan raya sesak, menyebabkan kereta bergerak perlahan.
Swahili	Polepole	Alienda polepole kwa sababu ya maumivu.
Filipino	Mabagal	Ang trapiko ay mabagal dahil sa ulan.
Arabic	بطيء (Bati’)	الحركة المرورية بطيئة جدًا بسبب الأمطار.

Additional Examples:

Spanish:
- “El río fluye lento a través del campo.”
- “El tráfico está muy lento hoy por la mañana.”
French:
- “Les discussions se sont déroulées lentement.”
- “La croissance économique est très lente cette année.”
German:
- “Der Verkehr geht langsam, aber sicher.”
- “Der alte Mann spricht sehr langsam, um alles zu erklären.”
Japanese:
- “彼女は車を遅く運転している。”
- “事故の後、回復は遅かった。”
Arabic:
- “الرجل العجوز يمشي ببطء بسبب إصابته.”
- “العملية تسير ببطء ولكن بتقدم.”

The word “slow” is often used to describe more than just speed. It conveys a sense of delay, calmness, or even caution, depending on the context. Across various languages, its translation reflects both its literal meaning and its metaphorical use in everyday life. Whether describing motion, progress, or even emotions, “slow” carries important nuances in communication globally.