El barco atracó lentamente al atardecer.

The ship docked slowly at sunset.

Breakdown of El barco atracó lentamente al atardecer.

• lentamente: slowly
• a: at
• el atardecer: the sunset
• atracar: to dock
• el barco: the ship

Questions & Answers about El barco atracó lentamente al atardecer.

What does atracó mean in this sentence, and does atracar have other meanings?

Here atracó is the third-person singular preterite of atracar, meaning “to dock” (a ship).
Yes, atracar also means “to mug” or “hold up” (colloquial, for robbing someone). Context tells you which sense applies.

Why is atracó in the preterite tense? Could we use the imperfect (atracaba) instead?

The preterite (atracó) indicates a completed action: the ship finished docking.
The imperfect (atracaba) would suggest an ongoing or habitual action in the past—e.g. “The ship used to dock slowly…”—which changes the meaning.

Why is the adverb lentamente placed after the verb? Can it go elsewhere?

In Spanish, adverbs of manner like lentamente often follow the verb: atracó lentamente.
You could place it before or even split it:

• Lentamente, el barco atracó al atardecer.
• El barco lentamente atracó…
  But the most natural is after the verb. Word order can shift focus or rhythm, though.

What does al atardecer mean, and why not en el atardecer?

Al atardecer means “at dusk” or “around sunset.” It’s a set phrase: a + el = al, followed by a noun.
Using en el atardecer is grammatically possible but less idiomatic; Spanish strongly prefers al atardecer/dawn/amanecer to express “at the time of.”

Is atardecer masculine or feminine? Could it ever be la atardecer?

Atardecer is a masculine noun: el atardecer. You will not see la atardecer.
It’s one of those nouns ending in –ecer that are always masculine.

What are some synonyms for atracar in the sense of docking a boat?

Common synonyms include:

• amarrar (to moor, to tie up)
• atracar (to dock right up to the pier)
• atracar vs. desatracar (the latter means “to cast off,” to undock)

Could we say El barco atracó lentamente durante el atardecer instead?

Yes, but it slightly shifts the nuance:

• al atardecer implies “at the moment of dusk.”
• durante el atardecer stresses the entire dusk period.
  Both are correct, but al atardecer is more concise and idiomatic for “at dusk.”

Why is there no subject pronoun before atracó (e.g. Él barco)? Is that usual?

Spanish often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending (–ó) already tells you it’s third-person singular. Adding Él barco would be incorrect (it’d need to be El barco without accent). You only include a pronoun (él, ella) for clarity or emphasis.

If I want to say “The ship arrived slowly at dusk,” can I use llegó instead of atracó?

You could say El barco llegó lentamente al atardecer, but that means the ship “arrived” at its destination (e.g. port area). Atracar specifically describes the docking action (coming alongside the pier), so it’s more precise for ships.

Is there any difference in Latin American Spanish dialects for this sentence?

Generally no.

• atracar (dock) is understood throughout Latin America.
• al atardecer, lentamente—all neutral.
  Minor pronunciation differences exist (e.g., “seseo” in most of Latin America), but the structure and vocabulary remain the same.