tarder

The French verb "tarder" means to delay, to be late, or to take a long time to do something. It expresses the idea of postponing or not doing something immediately.

Usage and meaning:

• Ce film tarde à commencer.
  (This movie is taking a long time to start.)

• Je n’ai pas tardé à comprendre.
  (I didn’t take long to understand.)

• Ne tarde pas!
  (Don’t be late! / Don’t delay!)

Synonyms and differences:

• retarder: Also means "to delay," but usually implies actively causing a delay or postponing something intentionally.
  Example: Le mauvais temps a retardé le train. (The bad weather delayed the train.)

• attendre: Means "to wait." It focuses on the action of waiting, not necessarily on a delay.
  Example: Tu dois attendre ton tour. (You must wait your turn.)

• différer: More formal, meaning "to postpone" or "to defer." Often used in official or administrative contexts.
  Example: La réunion a été différée à la semaine prochaine. (The meeting was postponed to next week.)

Summary:

• tarder emphasizes that something takes longer than expected or is slow in happening, or indicates being late.
• It can sometimes be interchangeable with retarder, but retarder often suggests an external cause for the delay, while tarder focuses more on the passage of time.