Я растерялся и не сразу нашёл нужные слова.

The verb is растеряться, which means to get flustered, to become confused, or to lose one’s composure.

The ending -ся is the reflexive marker. In this verb, it does not mean something literally like to lose oneself word-for-word in modern usage. It is simply part of the dictionary form растеряться.

So:

• растерялся = got flustered / became confused
• dictionary form: растеряться

This is a very natural verb in Russian for a moment when someone suddenly does not know what to say or do.

Because these are two different verbs:

• растерять = to lose / misplace / scatter
• растеряться = to become confused / flustered

So:

• Я растерялся = I got flustered
• Я растерял слова would sound like I lost the words in a much more literal sense, not the natural meaning intended here.

The -ся changes the verb into a different lexical item with a different meaning.

Because they are simply different verbs:

• растеряться is a reflexive verb, so in the past tense it becomes растерялся
• найти is not reflexive, so its past tense is нашёл

Russian has many verbs that are inherently reflexive and many that are not. You just learn them as part of the verb.

In the past tense, Russian verbs show gender and number.

Here:

• растерялся = masculine singular
• растерялась = feminine singular
• растерялось = neuter singular
• растерялись = plural

So this sentence is said by a male speaker. If a woman were speaking, it would be:

• Я растерялась и не сразу нашла нужные слова.

The same applies to нашёл:

• нашёл = masculine
• нашла = feminine

Не сразу means not immediately, not right away, or not at once.

So:

• Я не сразу нашёл нужные слова = I didn’t find the right words right away

It suggests there was a short delay: first the speaker got flustered, and only after a moment was able to speak properly.

This is a very common Russian expression:

• Я не сразу понял. = I didn’t understand right away.
• Она не сразу ответила. = She didn’t answer immediately.

Yes, нашёл literally means found, from the verb найти.

But in Russian, just like in English, finding words can be used figuratively:

• найти слова = to find the words
• не найти слов = to be at a loss for words

So нашёл нужные слова means something like:

• found the right words
• managed to express myself properly

It is a very natural expression.

Нужные слова literally means the needed words, but in context it often means:

• the right words
• the appropriate words
• the words I needed

Russian often uses нужный where English would naturally say right or appropriate.

Compare:

• Я не нашёл нужных слов. = I couldn’t find the right words.
• Он сказал нужные слова. = He said exactly what was needed / the right thing.

Правильные слова would sound more like correct words, and may feel less natural in this emotional context.

Because the expression is найти слова — literally, to find words.

In English, we also commonly say:

• I couldn’t find the words
• I found the right words

Russian uses the plural in the same way. A single word would not usually express the idea here; the speaker means they needed a way to phrase what they wanted to say.

It is in the accusative plural.

Why? Because it is the direct object of нашёл:

• нашёл что? → нужные слова

For inanimate plural nouns, the accusative looks the same as the nominative:

• nominative: нужные слова
• accusative: нужные слова

So although it looks like nominative plural, here it is functioning as accusative plural.

The correct pronunciation is нашёл, with ё.

In many Russian texts, especially informal or ordinary printed text, ё is often written as е, so you may see:

• нашёл
• нашел

They usually mean the same word, but the pronunciation is still нашёл.

For learners, it is useful to remember the dictionary form:

• найти → нашёл / нашла

This is an irregular-looking past-tense form, so it is worth memorizing.

Yes, Russian word order is flexible. This version is neutral and natural.

The sentence structure is:

• Я растерялся = first event
• и не сразу нашёл нужные слова = second event

This order clearly shows the sequence:

1. I got flustered.
2. I didn’t find the right words right away.

You could also hear variations like:

• Я растерялся и нужные слова нашёл не сразу.
• Не сразу я нашёл нужные слова.

These may shift emphasis slightly, but the original version is the most straightforward.

Both verbs are perfective past tense:

• растерялся ← растеряться
• нашёл ← найти

Perfective aspect is used because the sentence describes completed events:

• the speaker became flustered
• then eventually found the right words

If you used imperfective verbs, the meaning would change and might sound less natural here.

This sentence presents the situation as a whole, as a finished episode.

Yes, very often Russian can omit Я if it is obvious from context:

• Растерялся и не сразу нашёл нужные слова.

That would still be natural in conversation, especially if it is clear who is speaking.

However, including Я is also perfectly normal. It can make the sentence a bit clearer or slightly more explicit.

It is neutral and natural Russian. It is not slangy, and it is not especially formal.

You could use it in many situations:

• conversation
• storytelling
• writing
• interviews
• literature

It sounds like a normal way to say that someone momentarily lost composure and struggled to express themselves.